If It Makes You Happy
by Angel of Mirth
Summary: When Quatre brings up children, Dorothy changes the subject. Quatre wants kids, Dorothy doesn’t. As both become more frustrated, especially Quatre, a caustic strain is put on their union. Can a compromise be found or will this marriage be forced to fold?
1. And Happiness Will Not Be Handed

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Gundam Wing, I wouldn't have accepted a job last week. Please don't sue, I own nothing, but the plot.

**A/N: **This idea has been on the back burner for quite some time. I kept putting it off to finish up my other three stories, but those there's no worries that I will finish them, I always know how my stories will end long before. Anyway, enjoy this please, review, ideas and suggestions welcome. Oh yes, inform me of any spelling mistakes as I beta my own work.

* * *

' ' are Thoughts

Italics are Past events

* * *

**_"If It Makes You Happy"_**

_"Only one endowed with restless vitality is susceptible to pessimism. You become a pessimist-a demonic, elemental, bestial pessimist-only when life has been defeated many times in its fight against depression."_

**_

* * *

_**"Dorothy…" he breathed out softly, his eyes closed in ecstasy. He crushed me ever more tightly against him, basking in the full effects of our lovemaking.

I hugged him tighter to me, smiling, a long moan finally replaced with my heavy breathing.

"I love you, I love you, I love you," he murmured drunkenly into my hair, rolling onto his side with me still in his arms.

I kissed him, still smiling, having finally opened my blue-gray eyes to gaze at his angelic face intently.

He finally opened his own half-lidded blue-green depths to stare back at me, a bright smile on his slightly dazed features.

"Dorothy..."

"Yes Quatre?"

"Would you like to have a baby?" he said softly, closing his eyes once more to lean forward and brush his lips against mine.

I almost instantly stiffened within his arms. An uncomfortable silence followed.

He opened confused eyes upon me. "Dorothy?"

"Quatre…I don't…know," I said slowly, feeling now was not the best of times to reveal my true feelings on the matter—no need to ruin a previously perfect moment.

He smiled uncertainly back at me, and kissed my cheek.

"Ok," he replied simply.

That had been one year ago.

Another year gone by in our perfect life.

Almost perfect.

Well I think it's perfect, Quatre does not. He wants something I for once in our long existence of knowing one another do not want to give him—

Now or ever.

I feel so selfish when I think about it.

I met Quatre at a big turning point in my life. Miss Relena had finally convinced Heero that their brief tryst as lovers was not just a tryst, but an introduction to the destiny they had to be together.

She'd announced the day after their reconciliation that she and Heero Yuy, the head of the government's security, were engaged and would be for quite some time before any marriage date would even be mentioned.

There was of course some buzz in the media for the while about the "world pacifist" and "military enthusiast" making a paradoxical couple. Eventually they saw that their differences made them fit all the more perfectly.

Just like Quatre and me.

Well Miss Relena was hosting—no not a ball—actually a welcoming party to me. I had now become something of a sister to her, having gone through a whole war with her and spoken to her about everything and anything during that time.

I was now going to join the fight for peace with the backing of Romefeller. I no longer wanted Romefeller to represent war and an opposition to the Earth. It was now under my command and those under me were in full support of my decision and were ready to help. I would be assuming the position of head of Relena's advisory board.

Of course there were a few sour faces to Relena's decision as she once again appointed people for her new term as head of the ESUN, but what was that to a person like _me_?

Anyway, it was really a party for all of her new appointed members to get the chance to mingle with her old staff, but I knew somehow she was going to make it about me. To be honest, I was the greenest member and the others had already met one another in some other working environment.

Well there I was, now another Lady of Peace, doing my best not to make a scene on the corporate holiday—Valentine's. I never liked the holiday, as it represented many things that I did not association with myself: love, affection, caring, happiness, etc.

To keep myself both passive and lucid, I was downing drinks like water. Not too much of course, not saying that I couldn't hold my liquor, but I had an image to hold.

I'd finally settled on a nice glass of red wine, as I was tired of introducing and conversing with what were mostly happy, enthusiastic people, totally dedicated to Relena.

What was wrong with that? Well, just the happy part. I wasn't happy. I recalled my own words back long ago at the end of that war of having no place to go. I still didn't belong anywhere. I was still even second guessing myself at that time too if I really belong there.

But I did, because what happened next was probably the other half of the turning point of my life.

* * *

'And finally, the real entertainment is here,' she thought to herself quietly as three familiar and not so familiar figures entered the room.

She recognized the tall, slim, brown-haired young man whose hair hid half of his face. She always wondered why he felt the need to wear two masks and remembered how he'd contributed to breaking hers.

In the spirit of the holiday, he opted to wear a pastel shirt of a light gold-orange button up dress shirt, with a cream suit. It looked good with his new tan from touring in South America with his circus troop for a year.

She didn't quite recognize another slim man with a single long braid down his back. She knew who he was, yes, she knew all the Gundam pilots, but she realized she'd never spoken with him face to face; and if she had, she definitely did not remember now. He wore a white button up shirt, partly exposing his chest, with what looked to be a deep navy blue suit from the lighting.

She recognized another trim man with coal-black hair pulled back into a short and neat pony tail. She knew he was the one—the one who killed her cousin Treize. She didn't hate him for it; he'd atoned for it in his own way. He wore a deep red button up shirt and a black suit.

'But where's golden boy?' Dorothy mused once more. She knew Miss Relena wouldn't forget the kind young man from their school days and one of the most pivotal G-boys.

She was now convinced this could be fun after all. She decided it was too late to beat them to Relena and have the upper hand, so Dorothy remained in the background near the stand where the music was being played.

She watched as Relena cried out happily and was bear hugged by Duo. She moved on to gently hug Trowa, her face positively beaming with joy. She even hugged Wufei, who appeared more than taken back.

Relena herself was dressed in a long pale yellow dress, with an empire waist. embroidered throughout with swirling white roses, glittering faintly with randomly but strategically placed crystals. It was strapless and fitted her still girlish form perfectly. Her hair was up in a French bun, her bangs clipped off to the side of her face. She looked romantically cute and was rosy with her excitement and happiness

Heero followed up with his own introductions, frowning slightly but obviously biting back a smile as Duo gave him a big hug, patting him on the back. Relena had somehow managed to get_ him_ into a dark burgundy suit, with a simple white dress shirt underneath. He and Trowa exchanged companionable nods and a hand shake and he repeated the gesture with Wufei.

Dorothy watched as the predicted question came to Relena's lips. Dorothy let a slight smile grace her lips and motioned the words with her lips in sync with Relena's.

"But where is Quatre guys?"

Heero had looked to Duo for an answer, but he only shrugged. Trowa briefly answered, but Dorothy could not make out the words. Relena nodded, a smile returning to her face.

'Probably doing some work he could have relaxed and put off till tomorrow,' Dorothy thought briefly, sipping her wineglass quietly once more. She placed the half emptied flute onto a passing waiter's tray and made her way to the small group before they all disappeared into the crowd.

* * *

"Hello...friends," Dorothy said slowly, gracefully placing herself at Heero and Relena's side, a polite smile unsettling her lips momentarily.

"Hello Dorothy. I was wondering where'd you been all night. Mingling no doubt," Relena said, turning to smile at her friend.

"Relena, you look lovely," she smiled, nodding her agreement.

"And you too Heero. You look quite the dapper young man," she added.

Heero raised one eyebrow. "You'll have to thank Relena."

Trowa nodded in her direction, and Dorothy dipped her own head briefly in his direction, but even then from the corner of her eye she was assessing the rest.

Wufei blinked, obviously not quite remembering her, but Duo did and said hello for the all of them it seemed.

"Nice to see you again Dorothy. Heard you're suddenly all for peace?" Duo asked, raising his eyebrows slightly.

"When was I not...? Maxwell, is it?" And before he could reply or ask questions to the meaning of her comment, she turned her ice-blue eyes on Wufei.

He seemed to have guessed her heritage as she caught him flicking his eyes away from her eyebrows.

"And how are_ you_ Mr. Chang?" Dorothy asked, grinning at him benignly. She sensed his slight discomfort and she was enjoying this; she had unsettled a pilot she remembered Relena mentioned as being a bit of a chauvinist. She'd break him yet; or at least understand him. The latter was probably a more realistic goal.

"I'm well...and yourself?" He replied smoothly, hiding his discomfort easily, probably second nature to him from his years as a Gundam pilot.

"Well it's Valentine's Day, isn't it?" she replied, smiling, not directly answering him. She didn't want this to become about her.

"And so it is," Relena agreed, smiling, bringing everyone out of their thoughts.

"Let's stop standing around at this door and go and sit and talk, or at least dance," she exclaimed happily, linking her arm through Heero's and leading the way into the throng of people.

Duo left, asking Heero where he could hopefully find some refreshments, asking if he could catch up with Heero a bit if Relena didn't mind. She didn't one bit and she smiled at Wufei, asking him if he liked to dance and he agreed.

"Mr. Barton," Dorothy almost purred, and Trowa looked at her as he was about to follow Relena, "may I have this dance?"

She bowed slightly, her hand out and inviting, her long hair somehow managing to stay out of her face.

He shrugged. "Why not."

The two moved to join the rest of the dancers in a waltz, and Dorothy reveled in Trowa's grace.

"You're _quite_ the dancer Mr. Barton, even if this is merely a waltz. You move with a fluidity I haven't experienced all evening," Dorothy complimented.

"That's too bad then. Glad I could oblige a lady in need. But what else do you need Dorothy?" he asked, raising his eyebrow and sensing Dorothy did not merely want to dance.

"This may surprise you, but I was wondering where that delightful, little blond fluff of optimism was this lover's eve?" Dorothy asked, continuing to move with practiced ease.

"He's finishing up some work back at the office. He couldn't locate Relena's new house number, so he called me to pass along the news. He should be here sometime soon."

"Why, speak of the devil, there he is now," Dorothy smiled, looking past Trowa over his shoulder.

The waltz ended at that moment and Dorothy slid her hands down and away from his shoulders.

"It was a lovely dance Mr. Barton. I'll be seeing you soon," and she turned on her heel to go grab another drink.

She sensed she was going to need it and she knew the blond pacifist would just be itching to try and get under her skin again. If he wanted to see her that badly, he was going to have to find her and she intended to be prepared.

If he didn't, well, whatever made him happy.

* * *

I actually wrote more to this chapter as I put it up. I decided it should be a little longer. I also decided to make the party on Valentine's Day in the spirit of the season. I don't think the story in itself will be that long; I think. But anyway, this is just an introduction, as you might have guessed, Quatre and Dorothy "talk". Next chapter will probably be the last chapter explaining how they got together in the first place, then return to the present. Alright, read and_** review**_ please.

_Angel of Mirth _


	2. Moon Is Full and Ready for Change

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Gundam Wing, I wouldn't have accepted a job a couple of weeks ago. Please don't sue, I own nothing, but the plot.

** A/N: **This idea has been on the back burner for quite some time. I kept putting it off to finish up my other three stories, but those there's no worries that I will finish them, I always know how my stories will end long before. Anyway, enjoy this please, review, ideas and suggestions welcome. Oh yes, inform me of any spelling mistakes as I beta my own work.

* * *

' ' are Thoughts

Italics are Past events

* * *

**_"If It Makes You Happy"_**

_ "Moon, Moon, thou art happier than I, For thou seest her, and I do not; But last night I was happier than thou, For I kissed her, and thou didst look on."_

* * *

"Hey Quatre," Trowa greeted him, smiling.

"Hey Trowa! I just had to say hello to the others first. It's really great to see you again. It's really been too long," he smiled back, giving his best friend a hug.

Trowa returned the hug then looked at him with one eyebrow raised.

"Just to warn you, Dorothy's here."

"_Dorothy_? Honestly? She's here? Where?" Quatre asked, silent suddenly at this realization.

Trowa gave a non-committal shrug but Quatre soon spotted her himself. He wondered how she always managed to antagonize him even when she wasn't aware of it.

Every time she threw her head back to toss her long lochs out of her face …her hair cascading down her shoulders, seemingly illuminating her profile in a brilliant, golden outline…

He always felt like he was gazing at her through some magical glass where she just looked more beautiful each time.

He sighed and shook his head, suddenly unsure of what he wanted to do.

"I'm assuming you two would like to catch up, I'll be getting a drink," and with that Trowa strolled off. He smiled to himself, wondering if Quatre really thought he was that dense that he did not see the looks he gave Dorothy or how his entire countenance changed.

Quatre stood there alone for a moment, but he could already see a collection of female employees making their way oh-so-casually towards him, each of their lips painted in bride red lipstick. It each looked as if they'd already had a meal of blood of some other poor, young upper-crust and he was going to be their next victim. He quickly strode toward Dorothy.

"Oh, if it isn't Quatre Raberba Winner, the most privileged blueblood of today's society," Dorothy announced a little loudly, not standing up from her position at a small, side table.

The two pairs of blue eyes never lost contact with one another. Quatre glanced around a little nervous wondering if Dorothy had hinted someone over towards them.

"No need to be so formal Dorothy. You look beautiful by the way," he replied, smiling and reaching out a hand toward her.

She did too, opting to wear a thin, spaghetti strapped, wine red dress. It stopped just below her knees and curved out gently like a bell. The back dipped all the way down to her lower back, just stopping above her rear end. Quatre noticed especially how it clung in all the right places...

"And no need to be so _informal _. This is a high class affair, is it not?" Dorothy replied back smoothly, eyeing his hand before slowly shaking it and finally standing.

"Dorothy, this is a Valentine's Day Ball, meant to be a purely social and casual affair between peers," Quatre smiled back, and Dorothy continued to grip his hand.

"Then we wouldn't all be dressed up like dolls, now would we Mr. Winner?" she responded, smirking slightly and gripping his hand even tighter.

She felt good about this argument, and it oddly felt even better to be having one with Quatre Raberba Winner, no matter how silly.

"Alright Dorothy, agreed, but it still doesn't mean we can't have fun. No," he put a hand up, "I know what you're going to say; how can anyone have fun in a place like this? But, you have to make your own fun Dorothy. Would you like to dance? And if you happen to say yes, I promise to call you Miss Catalonia the rest of the night."

Dorothy gazed back at him steadily before nodding her head once and finally releasing his hand. "I'd love to."

* * *

It felt good to have her in my arms once again; and of course her newly acquired curves did not go unnoticed by my fingers.

I felt the oddest tingle as I touched her, even though I was very careful to keep my hands where they should be.

I decided to be a little more spontaneous, something I'd been lacking to date.

"Dorothy, close your eyes," I asked her, hiding any hint of a smile.

"_Mr. _Winner," she said emphasizing the "Mr.", "you _promised _to call me Miss Catalonia and _what_ do you mean 'close my eyes'? Why?" she asked, not quite narrowing her eyes but I could feel the hint of distrust in her voice.

"I'm not going to kiss you _Miss_ Catalonia, if that's what you're afraid of," I grinned as for a moment she looked unsettled. "Can't a fellow be a bit more spontaneous in such a monotone of a life?"

She eyed me once more before she followed my directions.

She still moved beautifully along with the music, as if she'd memorized these steps as a child; a notion more likely than not.

I box-stepped with her accordingly, but soon I slowly turned, spun, and stepped with her out and away towards the large entrance archway, leading to a large balcony to the right and a spiraling staircase to the left. I took the right.

I stopped moving and a small frown furrowed her brow. "What is this Mr. Winner? Why have we stopped moving? I knew the music was becoming quieter..._Don't _think I can't defend myself _without_ a rapier" she said with a hint of warning in her voice.

I laughed. "Please, be calm Miss Dorothy. I think_ I_ of all people would know what you're capable of. By the way, you can open your eyes."

She paused a moment, absorbing my words before she opened her eyes.

"Where—Ah the balcony. Why are we here?" Dorothy asked, raising one eyebrow, her face having fallen back into a calm mask.

"Look. I want to take you out there."

She turned her face to gaze out the complete glass wall encasing the first floor balcony. I looked at her as she looked out towards the half moon and twinkling stars silently, saying nothing.

I ached to run my fingers over her soft skin. Her pale skin glowed in the even paler moonlight, but her soft lips seemed to be illuminated the most…drawing me—

"Alright, let's go," she replied suddenly, opening the doors swiftly and stepping out into the cool night.

I blinked, and followed her out, quickly erasing any of _those _thoughts out of my head.

* * *

I frowned slightly, wondering why Quatre always felt the need to try and show me "the beauty of life."

There was no beauty and it was unusually warm, further signifying the slow death of our planet by global warming.

Death was everywhere and inescapable. There was no beauty to life.

I kept walking until I spotted an appealing, white bench and I quickly sat down.

"My feet hurt a little. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all. The last thing I want is for you to be in any pain," he said smiling amiably, as he sat down beside me.

My arms were crossed as well as my legs and though I felt I must have looked defensive, I didn't feel as if it were safe to move.

Though there were a few inches between us, I felt the heat of a thousand suns on my skin…

Why?

His arms were also crossed, his legs crossed at the ankles and extended out in front of him. He looked a lot more relaxed than I probably did, with that ever-present smile on his face. His upturned face and eyes were glued to the moon.

His optimism annoyed me to no end.

"Beautiful, isn't it Dorothy?" he asked me softly.

I stirred slightly, and followed his gaze.

"Why do people always say that? I find the moon cold and indifferent…as well as arrogant."

He raised his eyebrows and looked at me expectantly. "Oh? Why?"

"Well…for thousands, millions, _trillions _of years the moon perches itself up in this night sky. People like us everywhere are always salivating at the mouths over its supposed beauty. Why? It's gray like cold metal at a factory and leeches off the light of the sun."

He blinked, silent for a few moments. I continued to look up at the moon indifferently.

"But it _is _beautiful Dorothy. The moon is so beautiful because she's so mysterious and cannot be captured by anyone or by anything, not even the great sun. The sun's like the moon's suitor, showering her with gifts like its light to hopefully win her love. But still, she ignores this and continues to sit out alone in this night sky for all of us…She's happiest doing little things like shining for little people like you and me Dorothy. I think she's indifferent _because _she doesn't care about all this admiration, all these compliments, gifts from even the sun himself; she knows she's so much more than a pretty face and she's waiting…waiting for someone to see that."

During his speech he'd turned his face up to the moon again. The longer he spoke the more his mouth curved into a smile. The twilight made his already bleached blond strands of hair a brighter, paler silver.

He looked like he belonged here; in this garden…in this moonlight...and I felt…I felt oddly like I did too.

We both sat in silence until he finally spoke again.

"Dorothy…you're like our lady moon to me. How is anyone going to ever capture you or your heart?" he said softly, turning to face me, a small, sweet smile upon his face.

"I…I'm tired Quatre. Please take me back inside," I replied quickly. I could feel my face burning. I wasn't ready to bare my soul to him; not after **just** seeing him again after so long.

"Alright," he replied softly and he took my hand, helping me stand up. I wobbled on my feet and almost ended up on my back.

"Whoa, you alright Miss Dorothy?" he said while catching me quickly in an one arm embrace.

"I think…I think I might have gotten up to quickly. In addition to the drinks I had tonight, I might say I'm a little off balance at the moment."

"Let me help you inside," and at his words he suddenly swooped me up into his arms.

I gasped and looked him in surprise. "Mr. Winner, put me down _right now_!"

He smiled at me and jogged back towards the entrance. "It's easier this way and look there goes the doors now!"

I frowned slightly, but slipped my arms around his neck. If I was going to be carried like this I might as well get comfortable.

* * *

It felt so right to have her in my arms like this...again. She was tense most of the way but suddenly relaxed, settling her arms around my neck and snuggling herself a bit against my chest. I didn't want this to end so quickly.

"I'm a little tired Dorothy from the dancing. I think I'll walk the rest of the way."

"Dorothy? Dorothy? What's wrong? You're shaking—oh," I blushed as I realized she was laughing at me.

Her lavender eyes seemed so much darker in the moonlight. Seeing her laugh was beautiful, her lips, the sudden flush on her cheeks—she looked so impish.

"What game are you attempting to pull Mr. Winner? You can't trick a trickster…" she said huskily, and I could feel her warm breath caress my lips and nose. Her face was so close to mine like this…

Suddenly, each of us was lost in the other's eyes. I stood there motionless as if all the animals had stopped breathing, all of the air around us had stopped moving; the universe holding its breath just for us.

Her beautiful eyes were drifting shut as I leaned in closer to her and allowed the world to start moving again.

There was no response at first then suddenly her fingers slid into my hair and she was pinning my lips against hers, placing more control over the kiss.

She kept teasing her tongue against my lips, each of her kisses open-mouthed and warm, but each time I tried to connect my tongue with hers she pulled back and giggled, tightening her grip in my hair.

She leaned forward finally, whispering something against my lips before she finally pushed my lips gently apart and let me fully indulge in our kiss.

I held her close to me, allowing her to feel all of the tension and frustration she placed in me with the smallest touch. She shuddered at the sudden increase in contact, a soft groan escaping her mouth.

"Quat...tre," she tried to speak, but I quickly silenced her with my lips as I let her body slowly slide out of my arms until she was more vertical.

She took advantage, moving her hands out of my hair to drift down my back and over my…

"Dorothy," I blushed as she smirked slightly, kissing each of my lips.

"Dorothy," Relena said suddenly and both of us turned in her direction in surprise, our arms still around one another.

She was grinning madly. "Dorothy, we're about to have a toast. Be quick, but make sure you're neat," she giggled before she disappeared back towards the ballroom.

She suddenly peeked her head back around the corner one more time.

"So _this _is what you've been up to," and she left giggling once again with Heero soon appearing behind her.

Dorothy tore her hands from around me as if she feared being burnt.

"Well let's go," her cool and formal demeanor quickly slipping back into her voice, though a lot less chilling than usual.

I smiled inwardly and followed her inside once again. "Let's."

* * *

"I'd like to thank everyone for coming first of all. My darling and I are quite privileged to think we will be leading such a group of outstanding people, all working in the name of peace.

I'd like to thank the members for all of their hard work so far, and hope that the new employees joining us will have just a paramount contribution as the rest so far.

I'd especially like to thank Dorothy Catalonia—"

I looked at Relena steadily and a slight blush creeped up her cheeks; she knew I hated this kind of attention. She was not going to be forgiven so quickly.

"Excuse me," I interrupted her perfectly, "but shouldn't we be thanking lovely Miss Peacecraft for our very existence? And we all know she's done even more then take on ESUN. Now _that _deserves a round of applause."

And soon there was an applause and Relena was blushing even more. Quatre smiled from my side and so was everyone else.

That accomplished, I turned to leave. I'd really had enough for the night.

Quatre gently caught my elbow, and spoke out of the corner of his mouth. "If you really intend on leaving, at least let me escort you to the door."

I sighed. "If you like."

The two of us strolled to the door without speaking.

"Goodnight Dorothy. I really hope to see you again."

I didn't say anything and turned to leave, my hand on the knob. His hand descended upon my shoulder, stopping me for the second time that night.

"Will you let me see you again Dorothy?"

"You always manage to find a way to see me anyway Mr. Winner," I grinned pausing dramatically, "find a way again."

Quatre stared after her retreating back. He decided to run back inside and grab his coat. He'd be damned if he lost her again.

"Wait! Dorothy! First…first call me Quatre. Please?" he asked as he caught up to me.

"Alright, fine," I shrugged.

"Dorothy, tomorrow night, let's have dinner. At my home—as friends," he asked smiling.

I felt as if I were fighting within myself for a moment before I finally smiled.

"Ok."

* * *

One night of dinner, turned into every night the following week. We were both lonely people and my post at ESUN was still relatively light with the work.

Every night I laughed. My smile alone seemed to please him and the longer I spent at his house, whenever I did return to my own home, the more remote, empty, and uninviting it seemed.

One night, when I returned yet again to my own mansion, my old doorman there to greet me, and the servants having already prepared everything for sleep, the phone suddenly rang up in my bedroom.

I ran up the stairs and caught it just as the answering machine came on.

"Hello?"

"Dorothy, I know you just got here probably, I just…I just wanted to see if you got home alright."

I could tell through the phone he was blushing and I smiled to myself at the thought.

"I need to get ready for bed Quatre, I'm sorry but I have to go."

"Dorothy, can I call you back in about fifteen minutes? I actually…I actually wanted to do something for you before you went to sleep."

"Sure," I shrugged, and I tried to bite back my smile as I could just sense his own smile through the phone.

As I finally settled myself into the covers, I found my eyes continuously darting to the phone.

"Oh stop being so juvenile Dorothy. You're not waiting for your date's call."

As soon as the phone rang, however, I immediately picked it up. I took a deep breath before speaking, calming myself.

"Hello?"

"Dorothy, that was fast. Are you snuggled under the covers?"

I quickly made sure I was. "Now I am."

"Close your eyes and relax."

"Where have I heard that before…" I said and we both shared a chuckle.

I followed him just as obediently as the first time.

Suddenly the notes of a violin were streaming through the phone; so soft and sweet.

I smiled and let each note caress me and soon it stopped, replaced by his voice.

"Ezay awsseflak ya habibi abl ma ahebak kont ezay, kont wala embarehh fakraaah. Wala andy bokra astanaaah. ..Yallah naeesh fi eeyoon el leil, wa neool lel shamss ta'aly baad sanah...mesh abl sanah."

I couldn't understand the words as he sang in Arabic, but I could tell it was a love song.

"I love you Dorothy Catalonia," he whispered, but I had already fallen asleep.

* * *

Quatre proposed to me on a trip to Italy we'd decided to take on both our vacation times. We each had built up an insane amount of time as both of us never called in sick or slept in; even if we were half dying.

All before that time, I hadn't let him kiss me again, although we'd come close to it many, many times.

_"Dorothy?"_

_"Yes?" she answered._

_"How do you think kissing began in the world?"_

_"I'm not sure…I'm thinking it just came naturally. Two people probably tripped and fell into one another and touched lips. And probably because it felt so great they did it a couple more times. I don't know Quatre," she shrugged, laughing at herself.  
_

_"That's very possible too," Quatre responded, grinning,"I read once, however, that people felt a kiss could literally unite two people's souls…"_

_They stopped walking then, stopping against the gate of another artist's gardens._

_"But why do I already feel my soul is connected with yours Dorothy?" Quatre said softly, taking Dorothy's hands into his own._

_"We did kiss…once," she replied softly, suddenly unable to turn away._

_"Then that's what did it," and with that he kissed her again, deep and slow as he took control of the kiss this time._

_"Marry me Dorothy…I love you, please say yes," he gasped against her lips, hugging her tightly at his words._

_"Yes, Quatre, I will." 'How could I say no?' "It would make me the happiest woman on earth."_

_

* * *

_Translation of Quatre's song:

**Ezay awsseflak ya habibi abl ma ahebak kont ezay:** How can I describe to you my love how I was before loving you

**kont wala embarehh fakraaah:** I could not remember yesterday

**Wala andy bokra astanaaah: **and I had no tomorrow to wait for

**Yallah naeesh fi eeyoon el leil:** let's live in the eyes of the night (but meant to mean let's live only at night)

**Wa neool lel shamss ta'aly baad sanah:** And let's tell the sun to come back in a year

**Mesh abl sanah:** Not before a year.

* * *

I actually wanted to get this chapter out earlier, but I accidentally pressed backspace and lost all the changes I made. School got canceled today and we were let out early yesterfay so all my homework is done and I have a free day today! Thanks for waiting, those who are reading this, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Isn't that Egyptian love song so pretty? Took forever to find it! Yatta! **Review please!** Merci beaucoup!

_Angel of Mirth _


	3. Every Day's A Holiday

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Gundam Wing, I wouldn't have accepted a job a while ago. Please don't sue, I own nothing, but the plot.

**A/N: **I had to edit this TWICE because of this SUDDEN log in I had to do! I'll try to forget my fury at the moment and get to what I wanted to say...Anyway, I had the flu over Easter break and schoolwork has just made me so lazy when I did have free time and just want to sleep. I'm sorry but I'm happy I could finally get this out. The reviews have been absolutely lovely and I thank you al!Oh yes, inform me of any spelling mistakes as I beta my own work.

* * *

' ' are Thoughts

Italics are Past events

* * *

**_"If It Makes You Happy"_**

_"It is a curious thought, but it is only when you see people looking ridiculous that you realize just how much you love them." _

_

* * *

_We were happily married six months later. Calls were made to those that mattered and of course we invited all of the Gundam pilots, the girls, including Mariemaia, Milliardo, and Quatre's sisters who came with their husbands and respective children.

It was roughly one-hundred fifty people, and everything, everything was beautiful.

I made him wait, and when I think about it I smile. Our honeymoon was complete bliss and many months of frustration, especially on his part, were satisfied that night.

We woke up in the late afternoon sunshine of Italy once again; the scene of our true beginning as new people.

His arms were around me and I was gazing out of the window through the filmy curtains thoughtfully.

"What are you thinking about?" he whispered against the curve of my breast. He'd snuggled into my side like a child.

I smiled, and one arm above my head, the other slipping to play in the field of sunshine that was his hair.

"How there is beauty in life after all. That night…we found one another again…I'd given up on the beauty of life…primarily love. I wanted to give to the world and didn't expect anything in return because I didn't believe in it. But now, I'm happy and couldn't wish for anything more."

He trailed his fingers lazily up my stomach and said nothing.

"Every day with you Dorothy will just be an endless vacation. Every day's a holiday," he grinned and moved up my body to kiss me on my lips. His hands were slowly creating magic once again on my skin and we made love all over again.

I digress.

Today was the third of a series of intense meetings between Relena, myself, and the diplomats of the respective space colonies. We decided to first meet with L2, as it was the most stable of the colonies and the most similar to American city on Earth—New York.

Relena and myself walked steadily down the bright lit corridor to the conference room. We were both quiet; she in concentration, me just being courteous. I noticed her lips quietly reciting her speech over and over under her breath, it would be pure blasphemy of me to ruin her meditation.

Relena had problems with these men last year. They seemed more focused on getting a dinner date with her rather than negotiating an official document of peace between their colony and earth.

She had bit her tongue, or risked angering the two businessmen. With myself here, I felt a little more confident order would be kept and a final negotiation made.

I wore a coal black business suit and skirt ensemble, the skirt daringly cut mid thigh, the lapels and trim edged with the brightest white. I could tell Relena still was not sure if I was wearing a blouse underneath my Jaeger bomb.

My hair hung freely down my back as usual, all of my hair pulled back with a matching black headband. Black stilettos heels completed my outfit, accentuating the length and muscular trim of each leg.

Relena smiled to herself softly, amused at my demeanor and clothing screaming 'I will murder, demand, and intimidate if necessary, and I will _not_ take no for an answer.'

Relena opted for a less threatening look, wearing a hunter green dress suit, her skirt extending just below her knees. Her blouse was crisped and white, her hair pulled back in a flawless bun at the nape of her neck. She wore three inch black heels that provided a better surface to ground ratio than my shoes.

Heero stood behind us and moved to open the door leading the way inside.

"Ah Ms. Peacecraft, Ms. Catalonia, and your respective delegates—Hello, hello! Greetings once more, we've been expecting you. Please take your seats."

Mr. Redburn was the first to speak, his partner and the several other businessmen accompanying them rising to acknowledge us and seating themselves as we joined them.

Relena smiled cordially, shaking Mr. Redburn and Mr. Johnson—his partner's—hands firmly across the table. I followed Relena's lead. Heero took his respective position nearby.

"Let's get this meeting started, shall we?" Relena quickly began, falling back into a crisper, more businesslike tone.

"As you know it has become Earth and its people's, the ESUN's, and now Romefeller's utmost priority in these gently unfolding years of peace to strengthen its ties with the respective colonies."

"The colonies regularly transport goods among themselves, but the primary source of import and exports lies with the Earth. To simplify these transportation needs the Earth has first thought to…"

* * *

Dorothy sat up at apt attention, studying the papers beneath her carefully. She listened to Relena and read through her notes, awaiting the time to add her input. She glanced up slowly, noticing the canary gazes of three of the men of the advisory board.

She smiled thinly, returning to her notes before she felt it.

She kept her calm, but she'd most definitely felt the oh-so-casual caress of a foot down her calf.

'Oh I love tests like this. I can play this game.'

Dorothy immediately spotted the culprit, a middle aged, bald, fat man who was already sweating profusely in his navy blue suit. She gave him the sweetest grin, just managing to keep the bile of vomit down her throat.

Dorothy casually drew her heel down his leg, keeping eye contact with him all the while. She complimented her sexual caress with a candy sweet smile. When she reached the socked part of his ankle, she casually hooked the heel of his leg with her other foot, directing his thick, ham hock of a leg firmly to the floor.

She saw the fat of his neck constrict with a silent gasp, and his eyes seemed to be fluttering closed in utmost bliss. Dorothy smiled innocently, wording silently that 'she needed him before this night was over. This was just a taste of their coming night of bliss.'

At the word 'coming' she saw his eyes widen, and what seemed to be coffee stained teeth sinking into the flesh of his lips to bite back a groan. Dorothy felt disgusted and to prevent anything else from coming out of him that did not resemble perspiration, she firmly jammed her heel into the flesh of his ankle.

He promptly screamed. Relena jumped along with several others, all eyes coming upon the delegate. His face burned red and he mumbled excuses before asking permission to please excuse himself.

He fumbled to his feet and quickly limped out of the room, slamming the door after himself. Heero smirked, briefly catching Dorothy's eye.

Dorothy smiled at him on his way out and casually returned to her notes, some eyes pausing on her once more quizzically before the meeting was re-instated.

* * *

Dorothy was growing bored, she'd only spoken once to convey the goals of Romafeller and they'd only come so close but yet so far into ending this ordeal.

'I wonder what Quatre's up to…' Dorothy thought, whimpering mentally. She would give anything to be in his arms right now.

She sighed, lifting her tea to her lips, half listening still. She kept the cup up to her lips and regretted the fact her hair could not cover her face as her thoughts slipped into a wonderful daydream.

Her eyes slipped half closed as she stared into the hypnotizing amber of her tea.

'This is mint tea. Quatre loves mint tea. We had mint tea that morning we…'

_He lifted her up into the wall roughly, pushing her shirt up with wild frustration. Quatre growled under his breath._

"_Damn it Dorothy! Why do your shirts have to be tight?" he half mumbled, splitting the cotton blouse at the seams._

_Dorothy merely gripped her legs tightly around his waist, her hands slipping casually behind her head, further thrusting out her chest to his madness._

"_If you're complaining about the tightness of my shirt," Dorothy grinned, feigning a yawn, "maybe you shouldn't sleep with me."_

_Quatre huffed. "Quiet you," he grumbled, before with one more fumble at her jeans he tossed her over her shoulder and darted to the bedroom. _

_Dorothy giggled madly, and Quatre threatened to toss her onto the carpet and take her right there, but she only laughed harder. _

_He tore open the door of suite's bedroom, vaulting her onto the bed soon after. _

_Dorothy gasp, bouncing twice, before he pounced on top of her. _

"_You're telling me you don't want me as much as I want you?" he leaned forward to whisper against her ear, sitting up to only straddle her waist between his knees. _

_He towered above her, displaying a grin of pure evil on an angelic canvas._

_Dorothy was once again mesmerized and merely stared up at him...silently watching him. _

"_I take that as a no," Quatre smiled impishly, the bronzed flesh of his muscular arms soon released from the crisped whiteness of his dress shirt. He flexed unconsciously as his fingers slid to the edge of his tank, and to her delight he peeled it off slowly from above her._

_Dorothy bit her lip, before she grinned and playfully began arching and grinding beneath him. "If you're going to torture me visually…" _

"_Dorothy" he began dangerously.  
_

"Miss Catalonia?"

Dorothy jumped, realizing all eyes were on her. She felt the heat of a blush creep up her cheeks.

"Yes, I—what is it you asked?"

"Were you paying any bit of attention Miss Catalonia?" Mr. Redburn smiled, leaning on the table to rest his chin in his hands.

"_Of course_ . I just feel a bit warm as you can see. I think I'll excuse myself if you do not mind," Dorothy replied quickly, pushing back her chair to stand up. She smiled apologetically at Relena, who had an amused twinkle in her eye. Relena smiled back in understanding.

Dorothy quickly strode out leaving the sounds of Relena's cultured tones to already bring back a calming atmosphere to the room.

"She's been recently married as you can see. She was most likely thinking of her husband." A soft chuckle went around the room.

"She recently married Mr. Quatre Raberba Winner of Winner Corporations, am I correct?" Mr. Johnson asked, suddenly very much awake.

"Correct you are Mr. Johnson. I think we should all take a minor break. Shall we?"

"Yes of course," Mr. Redburn and Mr. Johnson smiled, making eye contact briefly. Everyone rose to follow the tall blond woman out the doorway.

"Hey, are you alright?" Relena asked, slipping into the powder room after Dorothy.

Heero soon appeared through the doorway to stand facing the bathroom stalls.

"Heero! You can't be in here, this is a lady's bathroom."

"I'm supposed to be everywhere you are. I just wanted to check in here briefly," he said half distracted, peering at every corner suspiciously and kicked the stall doors open.

"Or see me," Relena grinned, slipping her arms around his shoulders to gently turn him around to her so she could deeply kiss his lips.

He gladly returned her kiss. "It doesn't seem like those deliberations are going anywhere, does it?"

"Oh I dunno. Those two men suddenly looked very interested when I mentioned Dorothy was married to Quatre."

Dorothy eyed Relena suspiciously. "And why would you do a thing like that?"

"To explain why you had such a silly smile on your face," Relena giggled. "Really, are you alright?"

Dorothy blushed and turned back to the large mirror. "I'm just peachy. You're right; I was thinking of him, but not like that's any of _your_ business right now." She added wryly, "You should keep your mind on where Heero's hands are going." And with that she slipped passed the two young lovers.

Relena blushed this time, smacking Heero's hands away from her butt, chastising him for crumpling her skirt as he gradually tried to lift it.

Relena and Heero soon emerged from the bathroom, Relena glancing at her watch and smiling to Dorothy who was seated by the double wooden doors. The two doormen held the door open for the three young adults as well as the other delegates who were soon appearing behind them.

The two men seemed to be encompassed with a renewed energy. They spoke both to Dorothy and the others eagerly, agreeing to almost all of Relena's terms.

Relena was perplexed at their new, upbeat attitude, and within the hour the two men were signing the paper, to the apparent satisfaction of his board.

Relena smiled a bit in a daze as she shook the numerous hands and soon found herself walking with Dorothy, Heero, and a few of the other advisors down the corridor to leave.

"Wow, that was really a turnaround!" Relena said, still a little miffed.

"I'll say," Dorothy said dryly, "I think through me they hope to strengthen their ties with Winner Corporations and make a heafty green dollar. Oh, and maybe a few brownie points for not pissing off Mr. Winner's wife by prolonging such a dull meeting. But oh well, one colony down, four to go."

Relena giggled, and was soon whispering excitedly to Heero about what they could hopefully do now that these negotiations had taken shorter than expected.

Dorothy let the two talk, her own mind slipping to Quatre once more. She smiled happily. She couldn't wait to go home.

* * *

Quatre whimpered, nibbling on the top of his pen. He missed Dorothy dearly; ever since his return to work as a married man, he'd found it terribly hard to concentrate.

"Relena, you better look out, or I just might have to offer a job to Dorothy here so I can function again," Quatre whined, flinging the sharp fountain pen into the bull's eye of a nearby dart board.

As Dorothy stared into her tea thinking of him, Quatre stared into his own thinking of her.

It made him ache to think of Dorothy in that ensemble he'd only glimpsed this morning as she'd slipped off to work, barely satisfying him with her quick kiss to his half sleeping form within their bed.

He jumped up and ran to the window to see her drive off like a kid looking if the ice cream man had arrived, Dorothy laughing at him as he made an exaggerated puppy dog face through the window at her.

He waved to her sadly and slowly for effect, sticking out his lip and using his angelic looks to his advantage.

He had no idea how the image of his mussed blond hair and shirtless, boxer clad body had badly messed with her driving on the way to work.

The image of her long legs swinging into the door of her black Jaguars made him audibly whimper to the amusement of Rashid.

"_You'll miss her Master Quatre?"_

"_Will I ever!" Quatre flounced, turning from the window suddenly, still pouting like an infant._

_Rashid chuckled as he followed Quatre away from the window._

_

* * *

_Quatre came to the conclusion he needed a break. Dorothy had left him a note this morning—

"Ah ha! There you are," Quatre smiled, truly happy and his mind temporarily satiated for the first time that morning.

"_I love it when you touch me, so lovingly, pulling me away from all of my pain and hurt into the warmth of sweet blissful, sacred, shielding love."_

Quatre smiled. She truly was beautiful on the inside and out. He loved her little habit of leaving him poetic little ramblings about her love for him, though he knew like this one, they sometimes alluded to her recovery from her dark past. However, she was better than he was it seemed at speaking of just how much happines their love brought to each of them.

Perhaps if it were all possible, he meant even more to her than she did to him. Every day was truly going to be a pipe's dream with her.

He couldn't wait to do what she desired and then some tonight when he saw her again.

* * *

Should the next chapter be a lemon? Include a lemon? Lime? Or I should continue on like a well oiled machine? I don't know! Help me decide in your **reviews.**

_Angel of Mirth _


	4. Delicacies of the Heart

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Gundam Wing, I wouldn't have accepted a job a while ago. Please don't sue, I own nothing, but the plot.

**A/N: **In all honesty, this is my_ first_ lemon! Sure, I've made little "photo scenes" of instances, but this is my first full out lemon. I'm afraid I spoke too, too little, not enough, oi vay. Please be kind, I did my best, and I curbed my descriptiveness to hopefully not break any rules. If this is the worst you've seen, remember--I can only go up in skill then!

**Warning: **This chapter contains a lemon. That is sexual intercourse between two consenting adults in this case. If you don't even know what that is, you shouldn't be reading this. If you are not at least 16, you shouldn't be reading this. If that kind of thing annoys you, skip this chapter or perhaps you should just stop reading this story.

Thanks!

* * *

' ' are Thoughts

Italics are Past events

* * *

**_"If It Makes You Happy"_**

_"Sex is more than an act of pleasure, its the ability to be able to feel so close to a person, so connected, so comfortable that its almost breathtaking to the point you feel you can't take it. And its at this moment you're a part of them." _

_

* * *

_"Honey I'm hooome!" Dorothy sang out giddily, flinging the door open. 'Damn, I always wanted to say that.'

Dorothy gasp, letting out a little scream as she felt lean arms slip around her waist. A nose was soon swiftly nuzzling the back of her neck and hair.

"Oh I missed, missed, _missed _you my love," Quatre complained, hugging her affectionately.

"And I missed, missed, _missed _you too. Quatre, are we insane?" Dorothy laughed.

"No, we're just in love. And when you're in love, it's okay to be senseless with someone else and not be embarrassed. Call me something else," he added, his voice falling into more intimate octaves, his lips traveling along the curve of her shoulders.

Dorothy chuckled, prying his arms from around her waist.

"What's for dinner?" she grinned, knowing that both of them were only hungry for one thing.

"What's for dinner? I'm for dinner," Quatre smiled, jumping in front of her to pull her close again.

"I don't want you for a dinner. Where's--" Dorothy began, waving him off dramatically.

"You don't want me!" Quatre exclaimed, exaggerating his surprise.

"You talk too much," he whispered, pressing his lips over hers.

"Aren't you tired?" Dorothy teased, trying her best to talk, and doing her utmost _not_ to respond to his agonizing kisses.

He didn't answer, and simply slid his warm tongue around the sensitive inner lining of her lips. He could taste the faint sweetness of her cherry lip balm as well as the duller sweetness of her scarlet lipstick.

Dorothy felt the nerves of her lips tingle and singe from the feathery caresses of his tongue. She shivered quietly in his loose embrace, closing her eyes and silently touching her forehead to his own.

"I missed you today Dorothy, did I tell you that?" he whispered against her lips.

He slipped his fingers into her hair, twisting her long strands of platinum fire within his hands trapping them both within her tresses, pulling her face closer.

He dipped his tongue delicately into her mouth, before forcefully but tenderly pushing through her lips, tasting the clean mint of her mouth.

"Did you have mint tea today?" Quatre sang softly, pulling back from her mouth for a moment. He grinned wickedly at her, ideas coming into his head.

Dorothy looked at him a bit drunk on euphoria, his words not yet registering.

He leaned forward once again and bit her bottom lip softly, gliding his lips down her chin. He heard her sigh softly as he gripped her hair more tightly, lifting her head to allow him to kiss down the length of her throat slowly.

He suckled on areas he'd claimed with his mouth moments prior, pressing his hips forcefully against hers, grinding slowly into the smooth fabric of her skirt…

"Quatre…" Dorothy hissed between clenched teeth, gripping him tightly underneath each arm, digging her nails softly into his back, almost apologetically caressing the skin she'd marred soon afterward.

He brought his mouth back over hers, pushing her mouth open with his lips, once again pulling her tongue into his mouth with his teeth gently.

He pinned her tongue inside the vacuum of his mouth, suckling deeply, massaging his tongue underneath her own—penetrating every crevice he could find.

Dorothy threw her head back breathlessly, violently breaking the kiss, as his hand suddenly slid underneath her skirt.

"Stop that," she ordered weakly.

Quatre grinned at her again playfully. "Stop what?" he asked quietly.

"This?" Quatre paused, watching her face closely. "Or this?"

Quatre felt her react violently within his arms, and he gazed admiringly at the beautiful expression on her face.

He continued his ministrations mercilessly before he suddenly let her go completely.

He caught her as she swayed on her feet, and he gently deposited her onto the couch. Her headband had slipped down her long flowing hair, wispy locks entangling themselves across her body.

Quatre looked at her silently before his face broke out into another puckish grin.

"Let's have dinner."

* * *

Dorothy sat across from Quatre and fidgeted with her dress.

She was thoroughly annoyed.

"Enjoying your dinner my love?" Quatre asked casually, not glancing up from his own meal.

It was really a lovely dinner. He acted like all of it had been effortless, but she knew he must have gone mad in preparation of it all.

Yet she was annoyed.

He had his own duties, even though he was provided with considerable assistance.

But in spite of it all, he'd decided to treat her to this unexpected dinner.

But, _dammit_, she was **annoyed**!

He'd first presented her with an appetizer of a normal, light salad with only thinly cut egg whites and chicken in it.

She loved this alone, and it was actually a treat from a childhood encompassed by the company of many nannies, with few of a likable quality. She could have had a meal of just the salad, but just as soon as he'd seen her almost finished, right on cue the main meal was brought.

She liked his slow introduction to her of his more Middle Eastern diet, and tonight he'd treated her to another dish he'd prepared himself. He liked to cook, and he promised every new thing she tried would be made by him personally (AN: Oh sweet, silly Quatre).

This particular dish was called _Farareej Mashwi_, or pretty much broiled chicken with olive oil, lemon, and garlic sauce. It was common for olive oil to be used in many Middle Eastern dishes and this one in particular was a fruity olive oil, the cloves of garlic freshly peeled and crushed, the parsley freshly chopped, and a fresh sprinkling of ground black pepper.

He'd left out the salt, since neither were a fan, and he'd measured out the additional extra flavoring to balance it out—coriander or something like that.

Somehow he had known she would want seconds.

All the while she told him about the meeting, her ordeal with the funny old man, and the two delegates eager to settle after his name was mentioned.

He'd chuckled at that and said he'd remembered them from some function or the other. He'd excused himself and once again right on time brought out dessert.

She'd watched him go with a heated gaze.

'What is he trying to pull tonight? Leaving me burning up like this…'

Her annoyance had waned somewhat, but she'd been so annoyed in the first place from the terrible little demon he'd placed inside her loins.

A little demon called arousal.

He'd made it hard for her to stay agitated with him however, as he treated her to a pretty little dish called _Ghorayebah, _or almond cookies.

She was shocked when he'd explained he had his sister send them over as she was much better than he was at making them and she'd had time to spare.

She'd added vanilla for extra flavoring and Dorothy was convinced (for a night at least) that his sister was a genius.

"Quatre, you're spoiling me! Where'd you find the time? You're so busy--" Dorothy babbled, as she placed her tenth cookie down on the table to talk.

"I'm never too busy for you Dorothy. Always remember that," he said softly, standing up and moving behind her.

He lowered his lips to her ear and Dorothy felt herself involuntarily shiver. She almost moaned in unexpected excitement, very quickly feeling the dramatics of unbidden lust.

She hoped for another teasing kiss…

But he soon lifted his head up and away. She almost whimpered aloud in disappointment.

Dorothy wet her lips guiltily to calm herself. 'What is up with me tonight? Here he is trying to wine and dine me and all I can think of is clawing his back until I'm begging for more--'

Dorothy quickly intervened into her own thoughts.

"What were you about to say?" Dorothy asked, edging around to look up at him.

He smiled mysteriously. "Well I have one more dessert for you, if you'll meet me in the bedroom. Do you want some tea first?"

Dorothy smiled. "That would be nice. I love after dinner tea; it would definitely help relax me. Let me get it though, you've done enough--" Dorothy started, but Quatre interrupted her.

"It's not a problem," he said, and kissed her quickly on the lips before she could protest.

Dorothy looked after him—smiling evilly.

"Well after I _showe_r—_darling_" Dorothy called after him loudly. She saw him falter in his steps briefly before he casually waved his hand.

"Alright, but have this tea first? Please?" he turned around at the word "please" and grinned almost knowingly but somehow pleadingly at the same time.

Dorothy's plan to hopefully re-kindle his little tease earlier than she hoped this evening--crumbled miserably. She couldn't deny that azure gaze even if she tried. Plus, he was dressed in his adorably blue and white striped pajamas, and her favorite deep green tank that she given him off a whim.

His hair was mussed from all of his rushing around and those unruly strands of platinum were just brushing over his eyes.

He looked both adorable and wanton all at the same time.

'I don't know how you do it Quatre…' and before she'd even completed her thought she found herself saying "sure" a little breathlessly and him smiling and turning around once again.

He returned with the tea and for some reason the closer in proximity Quatre came to her,the more her skin felt like a switch had been turned on igniting all the silent aching she'd been enduring the entire dinner.

The moment he sat back down, her impassioned state fell into a sort of dormancy.

'What was that? I felt such a rush…what is going on here?' Dorothy blinked, but she refused to let on he was bothering her.

If this was going to be a test of will-power, by George she was going to win it. It had been her idea to deny him earlier and she couldn't lose now.

But, the more she sipped her cardamom and cinnamon tea, the more she couldn't keep herself from squirming.

She did her best to listen to Quatre as he told her how he'd come along to the meeting with L4 if she and Relena liked. Maybe they could disguise him so he could listen in? Or maybe he could come as himself as just a friendly invitee…

Her mind seemed more intent on observing how his lips curved against the clear mug containing his own tea, and how he licked the whipped foam from around the rim…

She whimpered unexpectedly and she blushed as his eyes fell on her questioningly.

"Something wrong Dorothy?" Quatre asked innocently.

Dorothy flexed her calves and curled her toes hard to calm herself as his gaze seemed to be the final straw.

"I-I'm fine."

"Okay, but anyway, you must be tired…Come to bed with me," Quatre told her rising himself to stretch.

Dorothy violently dropped her mug.

Quatre rushed over, whipped out a handkerchief from his pocket. He easily moved her chair away from the table and caught most of the spill in his handkerchief as the warm liquid almost dribbled onto her dress.

"Darn! And you'd gone to the trouble of making that tea and everything," Dorothy babbled, trying to perform mind over matter as the effects of Quatres arms around her placed unbearable demands on her self-control.

She couldn't take it anymore.

As he bent over the table, mopping up most of the mess, she grabbed him around his waist, and brought him to her in a hard embrace.

She groaned, capturing his lips, and nearly thrusting her tongue into his mouth. She hungrily explored the sweet cinnamon of his tongue and lips, pressing her hips to his aggressively.

Her hands moved to his lower back then further, gripping his backside firmly, pressing him to her as close as she possibly could.

She was met with a pleasant surprise, and gasped, as he lifted her up in a fierce embrace. She obediently wrapped her legs around him tightly, her arms matching her legs perfectly around his neck.

Dorothy's heels had long ago tumbled to the floor along with her senses. Her denial of Quatreness, her clothes, and all reality seemed to all be falling at the seams.

Her hands entangled themselves into his hair once more and the two lover's mouths were suddenly matched in a fierce battle of dominance. Quatre kissed her hard, thrusting his tongue deeply into her mouth. Dorothy quickly caught his tongue, biting softly and suckling deeply, twisting her tongue around his own.

She pulled her mouth away only to begin moving her tongue in and out of his mouth again. Quatre groaned deeply in his throat, gripping her buttocks in his hands forcefully, letting her taste his mouth at her will.

He hopped backwards onto the thick, mahogany dining room table, moving her onto one knee. Both wobbled precariously and Quatre couldn't even feel the now cool tea soak his pajamas.

Dorothy gasped, pulling back for a breath, but he quickly claimed her mouth again, refusing to let her have a sufficient rest. Dorothy yelped incoherently as he fiercely bruised her lips with his lips, teeth and tongue in ardent kisses.

Quatre quickly slid her back into the soft cushion of her seat. He jumped down and settled himself between her legs, growling softly as he shoved up her skirt and tore the hindering hosiery.

He ripped her offending silk panties, and his mouth was suddenly buried between her legs...his tongue slipping into where she needed him most.

He slid his warm hands up her hips slowly and possessively, caressing the curves of her hips calmly in comparison to the rest of his movements. He sucked on his fingers momentarily, moving them to her sensitive nub.

He rubbed his fingers at a gentle pressure, trailing his tongue around the lips of her womanhood before slowly pushing inside of her.

He smoothly slid his tongue back and forth at a steady briskness within her, tasting her and eagerly covering his lips with her sweetness.

Dorothy called out his name and let her impassioned pleas be known as he steadily worked her up to a climax. Her hands yet again became entangled in his hair and she gripped at him painfully.

She slipped her knees over his shoulders and Quatre took advantage of her inclined state accordingly.

She panted and cried out finally reaching a blinding pitch.

Quatre kissed at flushed skin softly, gently massaging her lower back till she cooled.

"Quatre, take me now," Dorothy begged, quietly pleading with him. Quatre didn't answer but instead picked her up and ran with her upstairs to their bedroom.

Rashid casually let himself, as well as the other servants from the adjoining guest house, in hours later. They soon cleaned up the mess his master and mistress had left, chuckling among themselves.

* * *

Quatre gripped her wrists to the mattress tightly, rocking himself into her at a maddening pace.

The slickness of her skin and the jolting of her entire frame each time he entered her made him only want to make love to her more passionately.

Dorothy met him each time thrust for thrust, holding back nothing from him. Neither in fact seemed to be holding back from the other, Quatre silently imploring her with each movement to give more than he was, yet take as much pleasure from him as she wished.

When she felt the final moments of their union rushing through her, she cried out, tightening her entire body around him. She arched up against his body, her fingers curling into tight fists as she felt a much stronger apex than ever before.

Quatre cried out with her, ending with longer, deeper thrusts as he released himself within her.

He finally let go of her wrists and collapsed to his forearms on either side of her body. Dorothy slid her arms around his neck and he gently took her into his arms, rolling to his side.

They kissed softly, almost delicately, both in awe of the heights of their love for the other; afraid almost of making any wrong or sudden movements that would break their paradise.

Only thoughts of their strengthening bond to one another filled them until the calm lull of sleep.

**

* * *

**

**Review** sil vous plait.

_Angel of Mirth _


	5. Fear, Frustration, and Friendship?

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Gundam Wing, I wouldn't have accepted a job a while ago. Please don't sue, I own nothing, but the plot. Oh yes! An Liu su and Ao Pin rui are mine! Fun fact: I did stuff with my brother's and my name to make it into those nifty Chinese names.

**A/N: **Uh, my SATs scores came in! Yay! They were pretty good. But my report card also came in! I'm angry with some things and fearful of perhaps some parently retribution. I didn't fail anything! No worries! I just wanted to mentioned I got an 11 in that new essay thing on the SATs in a 2-12 scoring thing. Yay. Perhaps my writing is descent after all...

* * *

' ' are Thoughts

Italics are Past events

* * *

**_"If It Makes You Happy"_**

_"Love is full of anxious fears."_

_

* * *

_Dorothy rubbed her temples agitatedly; masking her movements with the appearance she was merely pushing her hair back behind her ears.

If someone who knew Dorothy well had seen this, they would have thought of one fact:

Dorothy_ never_ touched her hair.

…_Unless_ she was performing a coy or mocking gesture.

"How can I be sure that the Earth's motivations are honorable? That is the most significant question at hand. Not the abilities of L5 to fulfill their side of the bargain. Our word is final-but will yours be?"

The man who had just spoken was General Poki (pronounced: POH-kay) of L5. He had been questioning the motives of Relena and her delegates all morning long. He was infamous for his hard-to-please nature when it came to delegations and it was difficult to form a treaty with the colony. But once you gained L5's trust, their loyalty was invaluable, unsurpassable, and strong as gundanium.

They were a beneficial ally, but just as deadly an enemy to have. They took pride in their strong military, as General Poki worked closely with the colonies head ambassador and ruler to instill the colony would be one of the most dominant in the galaxy, if not _the _most.

The two mentioned beforehand were the Ambassador to Earth An Liu su (willow tree; pleasure, unblemished) and Prime Minister Ao Pin rui (frequently, again and again, sharp). An Liu was incredibly beautiful and appeared at all times calm and collected.

Her hair was a deep, softly glistening black, cut into an almost childish bob. She clipped back her eyebrow length bangs with a seashell she'd obtained while on Earth; she kept it close to her for good luck.

Her eyes were attractive and large; a flawless almond shape of perfection. The color of her eyes were uncommon, an almost blackish-gray that seemed to resembled the speckled brilliance of space with its array of sparkling stars.

Her lips were lush and red and she never wore make-up; something that was more of a habit than a rule. She was considered somewhat tall at 5'8", taking away from some of her childish appearance.

However, when she smiled dimples shown clearly on her cheeks, laughing crinkles appearing around both her eyes and mouth, charming one lucky enough to see her smile like a baby's bubbling chortle.

She put all at ease with her tall, waifish yet womanly form, giving her appearance of vulnerability and elegance. She was thought to have friendly, young features, but when it came to deliberations she was sharp, spoke only as much that was necessary, and never had begun an argument to date, but rather provided gentle suggestions and options that were almost uncannily reasonable and just.

Many believed at first when she was selected to the post that she had only achieved it because of her appearance, and most likely her ability to possibly charm the male delegates. However, this was far from true.

She'd graduated at the top of her class in China on Earth, but had originally been born on L5. She moved back to the colony by herself to complete her schooling, majoring in both political and environmental science and minoring in communications.

In L5, all aspects of life were rigorous and the best was expected of all in any pursuit they chose—even if it was just to dream up inventions and sketch them in a field of flowers.

An Liu adapted easily to this standard and along with 5,000 other applicants competing for the position of ambassador, she had emerged victorious in the different training aspects of public speeches, essays, and history classes of every colony, Earth included, and the geology of Earth especially.

She was well acquainted with Earth and perhaps this was one of the reasons she was much more successful then one who had lived in L5 all their life. Earth was more willing to promote peace and unity and had less personal agendas than the colonies tended to have between themselves. She was truly liberal in her thinking.

And today, Dorothy's and Relena's best hope.

The meeting had begun at 8 A.M. sharp and was now dragging on to 2 P.M.

'If he's so damn distrusting damn it all to—oh can't think that way, think pretty thoughts, think pretty thoughts. Rainbows and kittens Dorothy, rainbows and kittens,' Dorothy chanted to herself, lighting chiding herself for almost falling into her usual impatient nature.

She'd been waiting for An Liu to make some type of suggestion, but so far she'd only taken notes quietly and given both Dorothy and Relena small, brief smiles of encouragement, allowing the general to interrogate them relentlessly, and the Prime Minister Ao Pin to ask more inquisitive questions about what potential treaties would entail, what would be needed, etc.

Ao Pin was known far and wide for his intellect and insightfulness and had come to power mostly because of this. He had also been the descendent of an old clan line and many still held clannish respect and nods of approval when one of clan blood came to pursue roles of greater involvement in the colonial government.

Dorothy was growing frustrated and edgy. She felt like she was encountering one Wufei divided into three parts and now she understood why he was the way he was. She shivered involuntarily still from the frantic scare she'd encountered this morning…

* * *

_Dorothy's eyes shot open and her heart quickly increased its rhythm._

_It felt as if African drums were relentlessly beating against her chest._

_The room was still enveloped in shadows, the kind of darkness that seems most thick as the threat to its existence—the sunrise—gradually bites at its heels. A breeze casually kissed Dorothy's now shimmering brow, her whole body suddenly feeling as it were bathed in the cold perspiration of the mighty foe of even the strongest of wills…_

_Fear._

_Dorothy lay there, motionless, doing her best to calm her nerves but mostly to allow her eyes to grow accustomed to the gloom. _

_She felt as if she were back in her days of being a spy, lying in the dusk of countless offices, corners, and rooms, waiting for fortune's good time. _

_She lay there ten minutes; ten minutes of agony. _

_She'd calmed her heart as much as was possible and finally turned her blue-violet eyes to Quatre's sleeping face. He would be up after her to begin a nine o'clock work day, Dorothy up within what she'd quickly determined to be two hours._

_Dorothy slid inch by inch out from underneath the dead-weight of Quatre's arm and smooth sheets. _

_This took twenty minutes; twenty minutes of anxious patience. _

_The moment Dorothy felt her bare feet touch the deep cushion of the carpet, she was running._

_Dorothy darted to the master bathroom, pausing just before the entrance. She turned the knob with a clammy hand, slowly edging it open. It creaked and she immediately stopped, holding her breath. _

'_What is this? I'm just up to use the bathroom like any other person in the world. I should just act naturally.'_

_She opened and closed the door without hesitation, clicking it locked._

_She flipped the overhead light, the florescent lighting making her blink rapidly as she was blinded for a few moments. _

_Her eyes yet again finally adjusted and Dorothy dropped to her hands and knees. _

_She opened the cabinet below the sink, reaching back behind a bag of cotton balls._

_She smiled happily, the object of her desires safely within her grasp. _

_She stared at the white box for moments but the pause of time could have been an hour, a second, Dorothy couldn't tell._

_Her eyes scanned the black print before she quickly dislodged the object from within, moving to the toilet._

_She flipped up its head and sat down still in the nude from the night before._

_She relieved herself lightly and held the pregnancy test below the faint stream._

"_1, 2, 3…"_

"_30," Dorothy hissed and hesitated. She was holding her breath and hardly noticed._

'_God, do I really want to know?'_

_She brought the white tube up to eye level…_

_

* * *

_"I think we all deserve a short break, if that would be alright gentlemen? Ladies?" the Prime Minister Ao Pin said, already rising.

Relief could read across all the arrays of faces and Dorothy snapped to as Relena lay a hand on her sholder.

"Dorothy, are you alright?" Relena asked, quiet concern within her eyes.

"I'm fine Relena. I just need something to drink. I'm just so drained from this meeting," Dorothy replied casually, masking her preoccupation well. She rose, allowing everyone else to drain out of the room so she could stretch liberally in peace.

Heero had already moved towards the two and looking at Relena he spoke clearly.

"Let Dorothy handle this one."

Dorothy blinked, looking at Heero who still seemed very content to address Relena only.

"Hey. Earth to Heero. I'm right here. What do you mean let me handle this one? If anyone can close a deal, it's Relena," Dorothy protested, crossing her arms and raising one eyebrow.

Relena looked first at Heero and nodded once. "Ok."

"Hey, are you two both ignoring me?" Dorothy growled and they finally turned to acknowledge her.

"No! Of course not Doro-chan! But you will be speaking once we come back. I hope you've been following along."

And with that, Relena slipped her arm through Heero's and the two walked out.

Dorothy stared after them in disbelief.

"Hello, Miss Catalonia is it?"

Dorothy jerked backwards, her eyes wide at the suddenly mysterious voice. That was when she noticed the Ambassador to Earth, An Liu, slowly rising up from her seat gathering her notes that she'd apparently been finishing.

"Uh, yes. Hello Miss An Liu is it?" Dorothy smiled and as An Liu offered her hand Dorothy took it in a firm handshake.

"Shall we talk?" An Liu asked, smiling slightly. She almost looked amused.

Dorothy felt on edge and was annoyed that she seemed to be amusing the delegate.

If anyone was quietly amused at anyone else's expense it was going to be her.

"I'd love to."

* * *

"I know the Prime Minister and the General both seem very difficult but I assure you they're both honorable men. They only want what is best for the colony and fear making a dire mistake," An Liu said, strolling slowly down the hallway with Dorothy to water fountain.

"Yes, I know, but L5 must understand that is exactly what Earth wants also, especially Relena Peacecraft. She is known for keeping her word, hence why she's amassed so much trust in such a short lifetime," Dorothy countered, feeling a little defensive.

'And that damned amused or quizzical smile is on her face again', she thought.

"Perhaps you should express those ideas in stronger terms," An Liu responded.

"But An Liu, how come you have not said anything? How come you haven't backed us at all if I can obviously tell you trust that Earth's avocation of stronger ties with the colonies is genuine?" Dorothy said, sounding a little more annoyed than she meant to.

An Liu drank casually drank from the fountain taking her time before she stood up and smiled fully with plush lips at Dorothy.

"I am L5's ambassador. If we were to come to Earth, I would be doing all that talking that Miss Relena has been doing. But since you have come to us, you must do the convincing. I cannot be Earth's delegate _or _Relena's advisor," she answered, and without waiting for a response, she asked if they should head back now.

Dorothy silently fumed but was perfectly sweet as she agreed and the two headed back to deliberations.

* * *

"General Poki sir, I understand your concerns are well founded, and it is Earth that has come to L5, but it is my belief you would not begin a meeting discussing the essentials of a treaty of peace between L5 and Earth without the intention of signing," Dorothy began.

She was sitting up straight and her burgundy suit and white crisp blouse were unwrinkled. She was all business now and once placed at the helm of an objective, she meant to bring success.

The general seemed ready to retort, but Dorothy quietly held up a hand looking him in the eyes.

"I know it is not my place nor perhaps a great assumption to believe you began this meeting with the intention of you and the Prime Minister Ao Pin to scrawling your names on this piece of paper; no matter what _we _brought to table. But you must not interrogate us on the other hand as if you came to this meeting with _no intention_ at all of signing this deal."

"Our word, ESUN's, and Earth's word are as strong as your own, and dare I say stronger. We've shown countless precedent of good will to the colonies ever since the end of the wars and we've recently signed a treaty with L2."

"You have made your demands clear. And so I will make ours," Dorothy broke eye contact, and sharply tapped her papers into place for effect.

"Hear us with an open mind, without biased, and let us begin this meeting once again, at 2:30 PM on this wonderful spring afternoon."

An Liu's own hands were folded quietly and she finally looked to Ao Pin and Poki.

Ao Pin cleared his throat.

"I agree, we've been quite hard on Earth, Miss Peacecraft and Miss Catalonia, and we apologize.

We have been suspicious and distrusting, but with basis. Earth cannot forget that it held an oppressive rule over the colonies. However, I realize, it is not you who did this and Romafeller now holds out an olive branch to all as well.

It is time for new beginnings. From what I've seen, you both have shown great patience with Mr. Poki, and I know he can be a bit hard headed," he chucked and held up a hand to stop a slightly indignant Poki.

"We will sign your treaty. What do you think of this An Liu?"

An Liu smiled and for a moment all eyes were on her.

"I think that is a fine idea. I've taken some notes and only have to suggest a few penalties for the the breaking of this treaty, but I am sure all will fall into place."

* * *

Dorothy smiled as Relena hugged her and kissed her cheeks.

"Dorothy! You spit fire in there! I admit, I was tip toeing during this one. It's just that they're known to be so difficult!" Relena exclaimed laughing.

Heero mumbled he was glad that was over and Relena punched him lightly in the arm.

"Miss Relena! Miss Dorothy!"

All three turned around as they saw An Liu jogging towards them.

"I know we were in there forever and you all probably just want to leave, but I was wondering if you'd like to exchange office numbers? Perhaps we all could have tea or lunch sometime?" she asked and she looked as hopeful as little girl asking for a pony.

Relena smiled. "Sure! I know Heero wouldn't mind, and you Dorothy?"

Heero rolled his eyes and An Liu hid a smile.

Dorothy masked any emotion and smiled tightly.

"Sure."

* * *

_Negative. _

_Dorothy dropped to seat and sat there for what had to be fifteen minutes. _

_She let out the breath she'd been holding and dropped the test, collapsing back against the coolness of the commode._

_She finally stood up on shaky limbs, cleaning herself up and trashing the test carefully._

_She clicked off the light and opened the door quietly, gazing out at Quatre anxiously._

_He was still asleep, though he'd shifted, giving his back to her and was now hugging the pillow._

_Dorothy gazed at him silently, filled with love…_

_An anxious love._

_She crawled back into bed carefully, lying on her back to stare up at the ceiling._

_She remained that way until the sky faintly glowed and she had to shower for her meeting that day._

_

* * *

_Dorothy felt as if she'd stumbled up to the front doorstep of her home. The doorman was in today and nodded to Dorothy, taking her briefcase from her and her keys, opening the front door.

Dorothy opened the door and felt warm arms gather her into an equally warm embrace.

Soft lips kissed the top of her head and for a moment Dorothy's body stiffened.

"Darling, are you alright?" Quatre asked leading her inside before pausing and stepping back to look at her.

"I'm just tired Quatre. I just want to get a shower and go to sleep," Dorothy explained, rubbing the back of her neck with one hand.

"Alright, I understand, it was a long day at the office too. May I join you?"

Dorothy's heart quickened for a moment before she smiled shakily.

"Always."

* * *

Quatre bathed her with a soft bath sponge, placing random kisses on her skin. He cleaned himself quickly and stepped out, gathering her in a jumbo towel that covered her entire body in a cushiony softness.

"Mmm, that feels good. Thank you…I love you Quatre," Dorothy said softly, smiling at him before kissing him gently.

"I love you too Dorothy," he told her tenderly, gazing at her for a moment. "Let's get to bed before we both collapse."

Quatre helped her dress and carried her in his arms as she clung to him like a sleepy child.

He lay her down gently first before slipping underneath the covers beside her.

He pulled her into his warm embrace, hugging her from behind, and Dorothy snuggled into his chest, once again counting her blessings for having Quatre in her life.

"Doro-chan, how come no note today?" Quatre mumbled into her hair, nuzzling at it softly.

Dorothy giggled. "There was a note, hopefully you didn't wash it off."

Dorothy turned to him in his arms lifted his right arm, exposing his inner forearm.

Written there in loopy cursive were the words, **_"Nunc scio quit sit amor."_**

"Ah, Latin. And it says-" Quatre began.

"Now I know what love is," Dorothy finished, kissing him.

Quatre, followed her lips as she tried to pull back and the _inamorato _and_ inamorata _engaged in a deep kiss.

When Quatre's hands slowly slid down her hips, Dorothy grew tense.

"Dorothy?" Quatre questioned.

"N-not tonight. Tired," Dorothy mumbled, moving her face into the crook of his shoulder.

"Ok," Quatre said simply, and Dorothy finally let herself relax.

"I'm sorry to wake you Dorothy, but I just haven't seen you all day and I wanted to talk to you about something"

'Oh God no,' Dorothy thought in a panic.

"After these deliberations and I've settled some things in the company, would you like to take another trip somewhere?"

"Oh, sure, that would be great Quatre."

"I'm happy then," and Dorothy could feel his smile from above.

"Oh, yes and one thing," Quatre began, his tone still light.

"Yes?"

"Did you by any chance take a pregnancy test?" Quatre asked in a teasing tone, playing with her hair in one hand.

Dorothy shifted once. "Yes I did."

"How come you didn't tell me? What were the results?" he pressed, his voice excited and expectant.

Dorothy was suddenly enveloped in guilt and shifted uncomfortably once more.

"Oh it was...it was negative."

"Oh, ok," he answered slowly and Dorothy swore she heard disappoint in his voice.

'I need to be more careful,' Dorothy scolded herself.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Quatre asked again.

"Well, I, well since it was negative I didn't think it was that big of a deal."

Quatre was the one to stiffen slightly this time but only answered with a simple, 'Alright,' and grew quiet.

Dorothy took that as a sign and let herself fall into a fitful sleep.

A doubtful questioning tried to wriggle itself forward from Quatre's conscience, but he quickly smothered it out, masking the beginning of a gentle nagging at his brain with the blissful ignorance of happiness.

More was left unsaid in that silence than in the suffocated voices of a thousand drowning men.

* * *

Suggestions? Questions? Leave it in your **Review**.

_Angel of Mirth_


	6. Birds, And Darling, Fair Haired Boys

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Gundam Wing, I wouldn't have accepted a job a while ago. Please don't sue, I own nothing, but the plot. Oh I forgot, General Poki is also mine. I love angry old men.

**A/N: **I kind of was pretty anxious to get this chapter out. It could quite possibly be considered the apex/ climax of the story.

_Every time Quatre brings up children, Dorothy changes the subject. Quatre wants kids, Dorothy doesn't, and as both become more frustrated, especially Quatre, as it puts a strain on their union. Can the two find a compromise or will this marriage be forced to fold? _

* * *

' ' are Thoughts

Italics are Past events

* * *

**_"If It Makes You Happy"_**

_"Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking outward together in the same direction"_

_

* * *

_Quatre wadded up the piece of paper he'd been unconsciously writing the word "why" on over and over.

'It's time to stop running away from my own thoughts or I'm just not going to get any work done.'

"Why did she think…it wouldn't be a big deal?" Quatre asked himself softly.

He had been trying to construe reasons since 9 A.M. and so far he could only conclude one thing—

Dorothy was hiding something.

'But what could she be hiding? Is she really_ not_ pregnant? Does she want to run away with the baby if she is; to someone else? _Is_ there someone else?'

Quatre felt physical pain and intense nausea at the thought of Dorothy loving someone else and possibly being in impregnated by them, while continue to lie next to him every night.

He quickly stopped such thoughts or he would have to physically destroy something soon.

Quatre was frustrated and what was initial sadness and fear—was now becoming anger.

"I deserve an explanation," Quatre finally concluded, cupping his chin in his hand thoughtfully.

"And I will get it."

* * *

"Yes?" Dorothy answered, pressing the button that received her secretary's calls.

"Mrs. Winner, An Liu Su on the line. She was hoping if you weren't too busy that you would take her call. How should I answer?"

"It's fine. Connect her," Dorothy answered neutrally and soon An Liu's face was on her vid phone.

"Hello Miss Catalonia!—or I never asked—do you prefer Mrs. Winner? I didn't realize until recently you were married to Mr. Quatre Reberba Winner of Winner Corps," An Liu smiled, her tone cheerful and casual.

Dorothy guessed this wasn't a business call. "Either one is fine."

She wasn't going to let her call her Dorothy any time soon.

"Alright, Miss Catalonia, since that's what I'm used to. Just call me An Liu, Liu, or An," she offered, laughing lightly.

"If you don't mind, years of etiquette school will have me call you Ms. Su until we become better acquainted I'm afraid," Dorothy answered, her tone neither friendly nor unwelcoming.

"Alright. That will work too. I had a question for both you and Ms. Peacecraft. I tried to contact Ms. Peacecraft first but she was out apparently, so I decided to just ask you first," An Liu went on.

Dorothy nodded and waited for her to continue. An Liu took a deep breath and smiled, looking almost nervous.

Dorothy wondered why she was so bubbly all the sudden; Dorothy couldn't put it past her that she could possibly be under the influence of drugs.

"Well I was just wondering if you both, along with your significant others, would like to go out for dinner, possibly tonight? I partly have good news from L5, but would mostly just like to get to know you two better. I truly admire you both and hope to one day, perhaps call you my friends."

Dorothy kept her expression passive but inwardly for some reason felt like she'd rather not socialize with An Liu out of a meeting room.

"Well I cannot answer for Relena and Heero, but for myself and Quatre, I'll have to check with Quatre and look at my own workload. These have been an important last two weeks..." Dorothy trailed off, slipping into a more amiable guise.

"Oh not a problem, not a problem; I understand completely. Hopefully everything will work out. I'd be so happy."

"Well, I'll not take up any more of your time. Please tell Ms. Peacecraft and Mr. Yuy about my invitation and extend it to them also," An Liu asked, bowing slightly.

"Sure, not a problem. So long," Dorothy concluded, promptly disconnecting herself from the conversation.

She picked up her cell phone and dialed Relena's cell phone number, knowing quickly where Relena had "stepped out" to.

"Hello?" Relena's voice answered.

"Hi Relena, enjoying lunch with Heero?"

Dorothy smiled, sensing Relena blush even through the phone.

"Well if you must ask, I am. You should do this with Quatre sometime Dorothy," Relena teased and Dorothy laughed.

"I'm sorry, I'm a perfect angel now, I can't engage in juvenile activities like skipping out on work."

"Oh but we're not skipping out on work, just having a slightly extended luncheon at a café. We'll have to invite Quatre and you both along next time," Relena smiled unseen to Dorothy.

"Kidding aside Relena, I have some news," Dorothy began, sounding a little more serious.

"Oh?" Relena asked and Dorothy told her about An Liu's invite.

"How nice!" Relena exclaimed, genuinely pleased.

"You sound excited," Dorothy commented, "almost as if you haven't done anything socially in years."

"Dorothy, don't be such a downer. It's felt like ages since you and I have done anything that didn't circulate around work. Even this luncheon with Heero is a treat."

"She did say she had some news from L5. You know it will involve the treaty."

"I know, I know, but it's good news and she said she mostly wants to get to know us right?" Relena asked, still happy.

"I'd rather not get to know her," Dorothy grumbled.

"Huh? What was that?" Relena asked.

"Relena, to be honest, for some reason I don't seem to have taken so easily a liking to An Liu like you have. There's just something about her I don't like," Dorothy confessed.

"That's surprising. She's seems pretty nice Dorothy. After you two had gone off and talked on L5, you came back to perform so amazingly in that meeting. I thought you hit it off and helped each other a bit in there."

"Well, sometimes things are not as they seem to be. But anyway, you and Heero have fun at that dinner. I'll tell Qua—" Dorothy began, already indicating she wasn't going to go.

"Please, _please _go Dorothy! You know if you don't go, Quatre won't have much incentive unless he _really_ wants to see Heero and myself again or has heard something interesting about An Liu he wants to learn about."

"I'll think about it. Later Relena; don't worry your pretty little head over my behalf," and Dorothy hung up before Relena could make her feel anymore guilty.

* * *

Dorothy wanted to surprise Quatre, so she had remained in her walk-in closet to dress.

She smiled, biting her lip at the sight of the beautiful, perfect dress.

Dorothy realized Relena was indeed right; Relena and herself had not engaged in anything not remotely work related for weeks.

Dorothy was used to being a little more unrestricted in her lifestyle. The demands of being dedicated for a cause she truly loved had made her conform increasingly to others' desires; more so than what was familiar to her nature.

The dress was an ice blue halter dress, flouncing out from her waist in a full skirt with a sheer tulle overlay. It had a "sweetheart neckline" and strings tied around the back of Dorothy's neck in a medium sized bow.

Dorothy accentuated her outfit with silvery blue stilettos, thin straps securing the shoes to her ankles in a butterfly bow.

She wore a simple blue diamond bracelet around her wrist, with small matching earrings and necklace adorned with a single blue diamond on its silver chain.

Dorothy wore her hair down as usual, curling one thick strand of hair on the left side of her face. She tied a filmy white sash around her head as a headband.

She didn't bother with makeup, only scrubbing her face to a clean brightness, and moistening her lips with fruit flavored lip gloss.

She looked at her nails and was satisfied with the simple square French manicure she'd gotten before the grueling meetings. She was pleased that with a little buffing they'd be fine.

She looked at her toenails which were plain and clear—just how she liked them.

She smelled clean and flowery, not bothering with perfume, when lotion, deodorant, powder, and a light citrus splash provided enough of a sweet scent to her soft skin.

She brought her hair to her nose, smiling at the light flowery aroma of her hair, the paticular deepness of its redolence only possible after just being washed.

She was ready.

She emerged with a smile from the closet, searching for Quatre with her eyes.

Quatre stood up from his seat on the bed. Dorothy looked at him admiringly, loving how his suit cut to his form perfectly.

He wore a black suit with black shoes square-toed shoes, the lightest sky blue dress shirt underneath his suit jacket. His shirt was unbuttoned slightly and he wore no tie.

He looked lean and thin, hiding the well built man Dorothy was familiar with underneath.

He let his hair fall as usual over his eyes, and Dorothy could see he hadn't done much to it like always.

She smiled, biting her lip in amusement.

_'My beautiful, darling fair-haired boy'_, Dorothy thought childishly.

She caught the whiff of the clean frangrance of his body--the faintest masculine splash (something that reminded Dorothy of rain and fresh air...) unmasked without the hindrance of expensive, unnecessary colognes.

Quatre stared at her admiringly and Dorothy slipped her arms around his waist, leaning her head up to his ear.

"Let's go. You look wonderful. You're going to make quite an impression."

Quatre mirrored her movements, moving his lips down to her ear.

"And you look gorgeous. Everyone will be jealous I'm the one coming home with you tonight."

Dorothy smiled at the compliment and stepped away with Quatre following her out to the already revved up Jaguar.

* * *

Relena and Heero rose as Quatre and Dorothy walked over to their reserved table. Quatre smiled waving them off.

"I'm not the king you two, we're friends, sit down," Quatre laughed, placing a hand on Heero's shoulder and lightly kissing Relena's cheek in greeting.

Relena laughed, hugging Quatre warmly, and taking Dorothy's hands in her own, holding her at arms length.

"It's only polite and An Liu picked a pretty high class restaurant. Oh Dorothy, you look_ gorgeous_," Relena breathed, grinning at her friend. "I'm glad you _both _came."

Dorothy smiled lightly. "Relena and Heero, you two can be so silly sometimes you're beyond words. And Heero, you look absolutely handsome; it's really too bad you're not on the menu. Relena—lovely and put together as usual."

Quatre agreed with similar sentiments. Heero had a dark gray suit on with a light gold dress shirt underneath. He had on dressy brown shoes, most likely accessorized by Relena, to match his unruly brown lochs.

Relena herself wore a light yellow gown, the neckline a v-necked halter, the dress just dipping to the tops of her feet.

She completed the outfit with low-heeled, pale green flats on each foot, a simple emerald ring on her left hand (given to her by Heero), and matching emerald earrings. She had her hair pulled back in a low bun, one wisp of hair strategically clipped back.

She looked simple and sweet; she looked like Relena.

Soon after the four good companions seated themselves, they saw the patron direct An Liu to their table. She too had decided to look perfectly elegant.

Her hair was in its usual style, her dress a dark wine purple, with a daring strapless bodice. The gown fell to her feet in an A-line over her hips, and around her waist she had a crisp white ribbon. On each hand she wore white kid gloves. She had only opted for black pearl earrings as jewelry.

Her eyes shown brightly as she approached the table and the four stood politely.

"Oh it's so nice to see you both again. I'm so happy you all could fit me into your busy schedules," An Liu smiled, bowing slightly to all of them.

She held out a hand to Quatre, which he took in a friendly handshake.

"It's a pleasure to me you; it really is," An Liu smiled with her teeth, locking her eyes with Quatre's.

He smiled back and nodded slightly, pulling his hand away but not before she made sure all of her fingers caressed his hand.

Or so it _seemed_ to Dorothy, whom_ just_ managed to keep her face passive.

'Why let the angry green monster of jealously loom over my head over her? She was obviously being friendly. Relena's right, she's a nice person; I'm just being my usual possessive self,' Dorothy thought, lecturing herself on her behavior mentally.

The quintet all sat with Relena positioned between Heero and Dorothy, Quatre to Dorothy's right, and An Liu to Quatre's right, between the two former Gundam pilots.

Almost right on cue, a waiter appeared. He politely took their drink orders and left with promises he would return shortly.

"If you all don't mind, I'd like to get business out of the way so we can all relax," An Liu smiled, and each nodded in agreement with her.

"Well, I have good news as I mentioned before, and I bring this news from the Prime Minister Ao Pin Rui and General Poki and all of L5; L5 is hoping to soon announce publicly that it would like to work closely with Earth in your tour of the colonies advocating peace. The Prime Minister was especially impressed with your clear outline of the ESUN's goals and desires not only for L5, but universally, Ms. Peacecraft."

"Both were also impressed with your frank honesty Ms. Catalonia; not beating around the bush, so to speak, makes things so much easier and L5 respects clarity in all aspects of life. They and I would prefer it if all delegates were like you both," An Liu smiled, her dimples showing clearly.

Relena laughed and thanked An Liu and her fellow politicians for the wonderful compliments, and Dorothy in turn thanked her and the delegates.

Heero watched the exchange quietly.

"I can't speak for ESUN all by myself, but I for one am ready to work with L5 to bring about the dream of peace for all."

"Also, please call me Relena; anything but Ms. Peacecraft. I feel like an old politician already," Relena chuckled.

An Liu shared her laugh and agreed and asked her to call her Liu or An and Relena readily consented.

Dorothy smiled at Relena with difficulty and Relena gave her a look to say, 'Be nice Dorothy.'

"That's wonderful news," Quatre complimented, and An Liu laughed and agreed, smiling and locking her gaze with Quatre's once again. He was already turning to thank the waiter who had arrived with their drinks.

Heero sipped his drink methodically, merely listening rather than being an active participant.

"Also, this is probably a bit forward of me, but we hoped if all went well with relations with Earth, which I believe they will, Mr. Winner, I suggested to the Prime Minister that we could perhaps have _you _come to a meeting pending between L4 and L5 in preliminary discussions of a treaty," An Liu asked, looking hopefully at Quatre, placing a hand over his own at the word "you".

Quatre blinked, and was about to speak, but An Liu went on.

"It would be beneficial to have a noted figure in L4 at these deliberations to further strengthen L5's prospects."

Dorothy interjected swiftly, turning to Quatre, and he turned his face to her as she spoke.

"We're not sure if we'll be here. We were planning a vacation after ESUN's own far-reaching talks were completed and Quatre's own company's tasks slowed somewhat," Dorothy explained, pointedly taking Quatre's other hand in her own and he soon slipped his left hand away from An Liu to gently push a strand of hair off Dorothy's lips.

She looked at An Liu finally, and Dorothy noticed the briefest change in her countenance, but soon An Liu was smiling sweetly.

Dorothy didn't trust that sweetness one bit, and her next words were displeasing to Dorothy's ears.

"Oh, that won't be a problem. There's still much to be discussed with ESUN as well as a definite scheduling of L5's public announcement. We'd also have more talks with L4 before scheduling a formal meeting, assuming they are receptive to our ideas—And who knows when all that will be!" An Liu laughed, and Relena giggled expressing she too shared An Liu's agony.

Dorothy gave the faintest of smiles in response, and tilted her head slightly. "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."

"I'd have to agree with that statement," Heero commented, speaking for perhaps what was the second time that evening.

"On any other discussion for now, I'm afraid it's out of my expertise."

An Liu laughed lightly. "Oh Dorothy you're so _clever_." She giggled once again.

Dorothy forced another smile, a feeling of fierce dislike she could not explain seeping into her veins.

Heero raised his eyebrows, sharing in Dorothy's disbelief and observed the two woman silently.

'She sounds like a complete idiot. What happened to the smart, sharp woman I met at the deliberations?' Dorothy thought, completely peeved and confused.

Quatre kissed the side of her mouth softly. "Dorothy is one of the most intelligent women I know, as well as the strongest. I'm a very lucky man."

Dorothy blushed, and the two lovers' eyes held for a moment, tender emotion exchanging between them both.

An Liu once again placed a hand on Quatre's, laughing lightly. "Oh don't be so _humble _Mr. Winner."

Fire sparked in Dorothy's eyes, and she was ready to cause _this_ kitten not to purr so fondly and loudly.

Heero cleared his throat, and all noticed the waiter had arrived, saving An Liu from Dorothy's wrath temporarily.

* * *

"What was _that_ tonight? I swear Quatre, An Liu was nothing like that back on L5!" Dorothy exclaimed, falling back into the lounge chair in the entrance way of their home.

"What was she like on L5?" Quatre asked quizzically.

"She was less_ flirtatious_ for one! And she hardly spoke _or _laughed _or_ giggled _or_ smiled _or pranced_. Grr, it was like watching a thirteen year old girl on her first date," Dorothy frowned.

"She was a little flirtatious--" Quatre began.

"A _little_!" Dorothy exclaimed, looking shocked.

"Ok, she was _very _much interested in getting to know me, and it's too bad I did not, do not, nor wish to reciprocate those same feelings," Quatre replied calmly, sitting down next to Dorothy and pulling her upper body into his lap gently.

"It's nice you two are making such progress though. You've really brought some new insight and assistance to ESUN. You and Relena, especially_ you_ should be proud of yourself. This all must be so new to you," Quatre complimented.

"I think deep down I've always desired peace…even when I said many times I loved war. I loved the clarity of violence, the goals of the enemy clear with my belief all sacrifices were to be made in the honesty of victory, but the cowardice and dishonor of some, with these same fools causing _meaningless_ catastrophe and murder, well that took away _a lot _of glory from that lie pretty quickly," Dorothy sighed softly.

The two were quiet for a moment, Quatre quietly playing with Dorothy's strands of snowy blond hair.

Dorothy sighed, content in the quiet peace of the instant, her anger quickly dissipating over An Liu's maddening behavior.

For Quatre's next words shattered her eutopia quite quickly.

"Dorothy, you know how after these peace talks and company business had slowed, we said we were going to take a vacation?"

Dorothy nodded, "Yes, go on."

"Well I could actually have the company temporary placed in a few of my sisters' hands for while, a long with the few of their husbands I actually like, and we could try and start a family."

Quatre continued to speak quickly and almost anxiously, as if he were a salesman trying to convince a skeptical customer to buy his product.

"We're both at the peaks of our careers, young, happy, and I know we both have the love within us to create a happy, loving home. I love you dearly Dorothy and I wouldn't rather have a baby to raise and grow with anyone other than _you_--my beautiful wife."

Dorothy, sat up, moving out of Quatre's lap, and looked into his eyes, Quatre noticing almost a _fevered panic_ in her lavender depths.

"How do you expect to have a baby at a time like_ this _Quatre?" Dorothy asked, her voice low and hollow.

Quatre felt agitated at Dorothy's words, the frustration of hopes unachieved at a time when he wanted them most, caused him to unexpectedly snap at her.

"And what time is this Dorothy? The best, brightest days of your young life in which you could best devote yourself to a family and…me? Don't forget you had no problem of _checking_ if you were pregnant. Someone checks so quickly usually in anxious _joy_ Dorothy. Is your life not a big such a big deal _too_?" Quatre asked, his voice cracking with heated emotion.

"These are the days in which a person must establish themselves Quatre! You should know that out of all people being a businessman yourself! If it's my life, it's also my body isn't it? I only checked if I were pregnant for _you_," Dorothy countered, growing defensive.

"The public doesn't know me yet Quatre! They only know me as Dorothy Catalonia, Romefeller's bitch, Romefeller's tool of war! I need to have the public trust me that my words of peace are true…I need you to trust me," Dorothy breathed, looking into his eyes.

"I am a husband first Dorothy, and a businessman second," Quatre replied coldly, sliding away from Dorothy to stand up. He gave his back to her and began to walk out of the room completing his statement as he went.

"I hope you decide within yourself soon what you're doing for me and what you're doing for _yourself _Dorothy. Perhaps a baby shouldn't be brought into this world to be raised by both our troubled consciences of doubt—and perhaps guilt. I hope you trust in my love for you Dorothy. Where there is no trust..."

Quatre trailed off, and paused midstep, remaining turned away from her. "I was hoping to have lunch with you tomorrow, but I should allow you to stay in your office and finish your _work_," Quatre pointedly emphasized, disappearing towards the stairs.

Dorothy stood quickly, frozen in place. She stared after the space in which he had stood, numbed and battered by incomplete thoughts.

"Women have had babies at 80! _80 _damn you! _What is the rush_?" Dorothy yelled after him, her only answer the soft close of their bedroom door.

Dorothy stumbled suddenly, bracing herself back on the arm of the loveseat. A shocked realization hit her violently in these vulnerable moments.

'I don't think I'll ever be ready for a child; now and_ forever_."

* * *

If someone says, "**A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush**," he/she means that it is better to be satisfied with something you have than to risk losing it by trying to get something better you may not succeed in getting

* * *

Review my pretties.

_Angel of Mirth_


	7. The Trouble With Drinks

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Gundam Wing, I wouldn't have accepted a job a while ago. Please don't sue, I own nothing, but the plot. Oh I forgot, General Poki is also mine. I love angry old men.

**A/N: **I really can't wait till summer! I will finally have time to update -all- my stories. At least I updated this one, ne?

* * *

' ' are Thoughts

Italics are Past events

* * *

**_"If It Makes You Happy"_**

_"Love may be blind but jealousy has 20-20 vision."

* * *

_

The week passed by without incident.

Dorothy got up.

Dorothy went to work.

Dorothy came home.

Dorothy ate dinner—

And then Dorothy slept to get up and do it all over again.

Quatre did the same, and the two were almost twins, clasped in identical tension with heterogeneous miseries.

Each "good morning" from Quatre was almost formal, each informative comment from Dorothy on what her day would entail overly detailed.

She'd "call before she came home;" all of this explained with unnecessary detail to fill in the silence that crept between them.

Quatre merely nodded to inform her he understood and left to get dressed for work himself each morning.

He was rising earlier as she was leaving to go into work, coming home at the same time before Dorothy in the evenings. He cooked to relax, and then left for the study, eating his dinner and completing his work within simultaneously.

He made sure dinners were warm and ready for her on the table but he himself was absent.

Dorothy said nothing, ate quietly, and went to sleep.

The smallest pang crept into her conscious of how he ate with her not so long ago, the two candidly talking about their days in the office, Dorothy's dry humor complimenting Quatre's cheerful and witty remarks—but she quickly snuffed out such feelings, refusing to allow herself to reflect.

Thinking eventually brought feelings with it into the doors of her conscious—

And feelings meant pain.

On one of these identical evenings, at least at hour before Quatre expected Dorothy in, Quatre was sitting in the large leather chair in his study, contemplating how he could update one of his facilities and still maintain production yields at a practical level.

The phone rang, and Quatre rose, blinking at the unexpected noise. He re-routed the call to his vid-phone in the study, using some of Winner Corps. technology he had designed.

Within seconds, An Liu's smiling face appeared on the screen.

"Hello! How are you Mr. Winner? It's been some time hasn't it? This is An Liu Su," An Liu smiled.

Quatre smiled briefly, nodding it agreement, her face and name finally ringing a bell.

"Yes…yes it has been. I'm well, and how are you?"

"Fine, just fine. Are you sure you're ok? You look a little…solemn," An Liu commented, a light of concern clicking into her eyes.

"I'm just a little stressed," Quatre sighed, pushing his hair out of his eyes.

An Liu scanned his face once, and then broke into a grin.

"Hey, how about you and I go out for a drink? Tea, coffee—beer? You know, it'll help you relax and it always helps to talk about things--_if _you like. We wouldn't stay long," An Liu giggled.

Quatre looked to be occupied in thought for a moment and shrugged.

"Why not. Was there something you needed to discuss…?" he trailed off, hinting at an explanation for her call.

"Oh! Well I originally called to…discuss perhaps—well now look! You've got me all tongue tied!" An Liu laughed. "I'm sure I'll remember later on tonight. By the way, I know this _gorgeous _moonlight café not too far from your house. How about I fax you directions?"

"Uh sure," Quatre agreed.

"Ok! Get back to you in a few! Bye bye!" An Liu sang and soon hung up.

Quatre sat back down, leaning back against his chair. He dialed the number for Dorothy's office.

"Hello, ESUN Head Advisor Dorothy Catalonia's office. How may I be of service?" Dorothy's secretary asked all in one breath.

"Hello, this is Dorothy's husband. Is Dorothy in now by any chance?" Quatre asked politely.

"I'm sorry Mr. Winner, but Dorothy and Relena are still on the L1 colony, if deliberations are over or not, I am not sure."

"Alright, I won't risk interrupting an important meeting. Thanks."

Quatre hung up and thought for a moment, deciding finally to just leave Dorothy a note.

* * *

"Heero, anything look familiar?" Relena asked, cuddling Heero's arm as they made their way towards the limo taking them to the three's idling jet that would in turn take them home.

"I'm not sure. A bit more modernized. Peace has done L1 some good," Heero replied, half losing himself in the little memories he had of his home colony, almost all involving his training.

"We'll have to visit sometime and do some sightseeing. I don't know enough about your home colony's history."

"Neither do I," Heero commented and Relena slipped her hand into his.

"Mr. Kiara and Fujisakama were very formal and nice. This had to be one of our easier meetings."

"They, however, asked to have a second meeting as they'd like to absorb the information from this one. Their minds remind me of yours," Relena giggled, and she went on to describe the two men in exaggerated detail. Heero rolled his eyes as Relena deepened her voice imitating the two men.

Dorothy lost herself in her own thoughts, lagging slightly behind them, her arms crossed.

Dorothy had mixed feelings about returning home, knowing sooner or later she would not be able to endure Quatre's polite silence and nonchalant concern any longer…

She quietly slipped into the limo beside Relena and Heero—the two both very happy; Relena giggling, Heero biting back smiles.

For the first time since she'd come into contact with Relena—progressing from thoughts of Relena being just some foolish, idealistic girl, to believing wholeheartedly she was an insightful leader—Dorothy quietly thought to herself…

'_Why can't I be more like Relena?_'

'Sure sometimes I can find her almost annoyingly mushy, a bit too pushy, needy…but I have yet to see her make Heero so upset to the point…to the point he forgets her existence,' Dorothy sighed, finally letting the small grief that had been nagging at her all week become full blown depression.

'Perhaps I should talk to Quatre about…about my reasons for not wanting a child. Gah! Why didn't I just do that from the beginning?' Dorothy frowned in disgust at herself.

Dorothy looked at her watch.

'8:15. It'll take us at least 40 minutes to arrive at the hangar and 45 minutes to an hour to get home…I better call Quatre.'

Dorothy dialed her home number. It rang and rang…and rang. She soon heard her voice on the answering machine

"The Winners are not home right now—aaah stop tickling me Quatre! Uh, leave a messa—"

Dorothy ended the call in agitation. She tried two more times, before a scowl finally appeared on her brow.

"Something wrong Dorothy?" Heero asked as he shifted Relena's sleeping form on his lap slightly.

Dorothy jerked her gaze towards him, forgetting she was not alone.

"No; just no one is picking up at home. Did Quatre tell you he was going out tonight?"

Heero shook his head no. "I'm sure it was probably just some last minute emergency at the office. He'll probably be in touch soon."

Dorothy mumbled an agreement, turning her face to stare out the window at the moon.

After a moment of thought she punched in Duo and Hilde's number.

She asked them if Quatre was over and they seemed totally obliviously. They promised to call her if he came by.

She even called Wufei, who merely sounded annoyed she interrupted his meditation. He told her he wasn't _her_ husband's babysitter.

Dorothy hung up angrily. She stared at her phone, the metallic gadget flickering off sporadic flashes of twilight from its surface. She continued to gaze at it mesmerized, mechanically scrolling down her list of contacts. She settled on one number, pressing her lips together as if preparing herself for something.

She finally hit in Trowa Barton's number; she'd decided to call her husband's best friend last. She was afraid of Trowa's shrewdness and his ability to read her like a book.

She did _not _want him asking questions or making speculations. He was one of the few people that could easily evoke an unwanted emotional response out of her, and right now, she felt oddly vulnerable.

Dorothy held her breath, listening to the phone ring once before it was snatched up.

"Hello...?" Trowa answered.

Dorothy's heart rate increased just a bit before she calmed herself. "Hello Trowa. It's Dorothy."

"Oh. Hello Dorothy," Trowa answered casually, pretending he didn't already know who it was already.

"Well I called to ask if Quatre had perhaps come over to talk to you or something. Is he there?"

"No he isn't. Why'd you think he'd be here talking to me? Is there something wrong…?" Trowa asked calmly.

In fact, Quatre had called him casually a few nights ago to talk. He'd finally shared his frustrations with someone about wanting children and learning that Dorothy in fact did not want any.

He told Trowa about her checking if she were pregnant without telling him about the results and then thinking it wasn't a big deal.

He'd expressed his depression that maybe Dorothy's fear of children was permanent and he'd never have a son or a daughter of his own, something Trowa knew Quatre wanted terribly, partly due to his own awkward childhood. He felt a family of his own—where he could determine his own happiness—would help heal emotional scars both he and Dorothy shared.

Quatre had made a request of him, though in hesitation and declaring he expected no guarantees, but that if Dorothy called him, for him to try and subtlety discover her reasons for not desiring a child.

Quatre knew Dorothy seemed to end up telling more to Trowa sometimes than she intended to, and Quatre felt he didn't care who Dorothy told her reasons to for being against children, as long as she was talking to someone and showing signs she wanted to work through her walls.

Trowa was broken out of his memory by Dorothy's defensive answer. "Well, he probably left a message on my cell phone while I was talking to you. It's probably just some office emergency. I wonder why I called."

Dorothy moved her finger over the 'end' button but Trowa had to place her on edge one more time.

"Dorothy, you sound like something is amiss…is there?" Trowa asked neutrally.

"No; nothing…nothing at all." Dorothy rapidly hung up.

* * *

Dorothy came home to the soft illumination and silence of her foyer, the servants away at their nearby housing. It was 10:45 P.M.

She called out Quatre's name but there was no answer. She bypassed her dinner, no longer hungry. She knocked on the study door.

She waited for an answer and as there was none, she let herself in.

Everything looked to be in order…

"Ah ha," Dorothy grinned, seeing a piece of white notebook paper.

"He knows me too well," Dorothy laughed, wondering how he would know he should just leave the note in here.

Dorothy's faint amusement soon dissolved into heated displeasure.

The note read:

"_Tried to call you. You were still not in. Didn't want to call your cell and possibly interrupt your important meeting. I left at about 8:30. An Liu invited me out to some "moonlight café" for tea or coffee and to talk most likely about business. Will be home as soon as possible, but consider it your typical business meeting. Love, Quatre."_

Dorothy pursed her lips, slowly crumpling the parchment within a tight fist.

"An Liu…" Dorothy growled quietly under her breath.

At the thought of the woman, Dorothy experienced a bad taste in her mouth. Dorothy quickly exited the study, jogging up to her bedroom. She threw her clothes off and marched into the bathroom to take a steaming shower.

She dressed quickly after her bath, slipping underneath the sheets of her bed.

It felt too large and too empty.

She shifted for what seemed like an eternity, finally lying towards the middle of the bed, facing her balcony.

She remained gazing at nothing, wondering if An Liu was even _looking_ at Quatre with anything more than a business-like gaze. She was filled with anger and lay tense and restless.

She lay awake for the rest of the night.

* * *

Quatre let himself in a little after 1:30 A.M.

Quatre blinked a few times, after bolting the door shut, slowly pushing his fingers through his pale lochs.

"What was that tonight?" Quatre whispered to himself. _'She's…'_

Quatre shook his head, deciding it was time to stop thinking and time to start sleeping. There would be plenty of time to decide a plan of action tomorrow.

Quatre opened the door of him and Dorothy's bedroom quietly, pausing at the threshold. His eyes had long ago adjusted to the dark and he looked in at Dorothy's (sleeping?) silhouette.

He moved forward quietly, taking off his brown sports jacket and unbuttoning his dress shirt along the way.

He slipped his feet out of his shoes at the foot of him and Dorothy's king-sized bed. He finished undressing quickly, just tossing off his clothes onto the nearby loveseat, too lazy to hang it up right now.

He gazed at Dorothy admiringly, his heart rate increasing at just the sight of her.

She was curled up slightly in a fetal position, her hands pinned underneath her cheek, her expression somewhat troubled. Her long hair splayed backwards behind her and down her legs, her silk nightie hiked up her long legs enticingly, revealing the smooth curve of her bottom, and the taunt length of her thighs.

Quatre never felt all the more in love with her than after tonight; she was more beautiful, more hardworking, and more noble than many of the people he'd come to know in his lifetime.

He was afraid now she was perhaps working too much. She was letting her work prevent her own happiness.

He realized he probably hadn't been very fair to her this past week, but both of them knew he was upset. He needed to talk with her this weekend in the peaceful privacy of their home and perhaps finally have her let go of some of her most dentrimental heartaches. Quatre felt there had to be more than one hurtful event to have made her so...perhaps afraid, of even the _idea_ of children.

Dorothy felt the presence of Quatre and felt a sort of radiance of love from him. She was half lost in sleep, but she kept her eyes closed. She was still upset but there was always tomorrow to deal with her emotions.

She felt the bed gently slope sideways as he slipped in behind her. She felt him run a hand slowly down her hair before he placed a feathery kiss on her shoulder blade.

Despite her irritation with him (and An Liu) at the moment, Dorothy almost sighed aloud in sweet serenity when he slipped his arms around her and snuggled comfortably against her backside. She missed his close contact.

She felt warm and safe and she positive nothing could hurt her--at least for tonight.

* * *

Gray skies are gonna clear up! Put on a happy face At least we hope so! _Review_

_Angel of Mirth  
_


	8. Old Aches and Remembered Joys

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Gundam Wing, I'd blow my money on trying to create magical potions that would first bring all my bishies to life, such as Trowa! Wait, why am I mentioning Trowa? -barely escapes Dorothy's shoe- I meant Quarte! Promise! Anyway, sadly I do not own Gundam Wing or anything else owned by whoever owns it. Got it? I only own original characters I throw in here and there.

**A/N: **I couldn't stand it! I cracked! I had to release this early! I know, I know! I said a couplet but aren't you happy this is out finally? I'm working on the other chapter! Promise! And I must say it is quite riveting...hmm maybe I should have waited. Oh well! However, I did have to change the title because it does not contain the content that will be on the next chapter. That title will obviously be on the next chappie. Ah, the quote is also moved to the next chapter and this is a recently discovered one. Meaningless information; I know -sweatdrops-

* * *

' ' are Thoughts

Italics are Past events

* * *

**_"If It Makes You Happy"_**

_"The things which the child loves remain in the domain of the heart until old most beautiful thing in life is that our souls remaining over the places where we once enjoyed ourselves."_

_

* * *

_Dorothy picked up her car keys from the bedside table and quickly exited out the bedroom door.

She felt different today. She'd decided to wake up with a new outlook; she felt like she needed a change.

She had done something different with her hair and even her suit was of a softer hue, a flattering but more conservative cut. She'd decided to get up a littler earlier this morning to focus a bit more on how she looked.

She usually never cared, her concerns stemming only as far as whether or not she exuded professionalism, but this particular morning, she'd even meticulously braided her long hair into a single gold train down her slender back.

She thought this hairstyle completed her softer look. She had even truly half-smiled at herself in the mirror.

Despite her seemingly self-indulgent attitude, her appearance of categorizing everything and everyone in a one look to inefficient efficacy, in actuality, Dorothy rarely could stand to look in the mirror; her thoughts were often coated with anxious trepidation.

She was both insecure about the supposed beauty people complimented her on, and apprehensive about how she truly measured up to everyone else.

Her entire family had weighed down on her the succeeding generations' passions, old hatreds—meaningless or otherwise—and standards the Catalonia and Dermail name set for them. The stress of it from an early age up to her late adolescence had taken its toll.

But Dorothy wouldn't even admit these fears to herself. For years she was forced into a whirlwind of dresses, parties, structure and risky liaisons. She felt most comfortable performing to the degree that was expected of her and quietly leaving without truly enjoying the fruits of her labor.

No one knew that the girl that fell in love with fencing and war desired to go out and watch a game of baseball…And maybe even learn how to play.

Instead, she had been confined to the aristocratic sports of horse riding, fencing, swimming, and dance (which she didn't even consider a sport).

She liked the freedom a pair of jeans implied just as much as she liked the air of sophistication a well tailored gown brought.

She was fiercely independent, self-motivated, and self-sufficient, as well as wildly confident all the way until she got there—her aim, her target…hers or someone else's desires.

Yet, when she _did_ finally reach her goal, she felt as lost as a little girl in the desert.

Questions and self-doubt crept into her subconscious on whether she could do it now that she was here. Could she _really_ live up to everyone else's and her own expectations?

…And gradually this same uncertainty had crept into her marriage.

She had been secure with Quatre; convinced she could beat him, convinced she would do anything to make him happy—as what often made him happy made her happy—and positive they satisfied one another in every way.

Then An Liu had to come along.

She was attractive, smart, optimistic, composed, stylish and chic. She liked to laugh; she had a charming smile and a killer body.

She turned all this flawless talent in Dorothy's eyes onto the perfect man; her perfect Quatre.

At first Dorothy had considered her somewhat unsettling; a little_ too_ shrewd for her liking…and not in a Relena-type way.

When she suddenly showed such disturbing duplicity in her personality at dinner that night, Dorothy had become resolutely suspicious. Not only that, but her shameless flirting with her husband finally launched Dorothy into full blown loathing.

Quatre had taken most of the edge off of her resentment, but the other night…the other night had proved to her that Quatre was more interested in the mysterious vitality of An Liu than Dorothy had thought.

'Did she kiss him on the cheek in greeting? Did _he_ kiss _her_? Did they share an appetizer? You _know _what it means when two people share food…' Dorothy thought to herself on her drive to work.

'How silly you're being Dorothy,' she thought, placing a damp hand to her forehead in frustration as her paranoia grew more and more outrageous.

The working girl shook her head, put on an old show tune, and tried to ready her mind for the negotiations of work.

* * *

Relena had announced that today there would be no meeting. Today they were going to work on a new poverty assistance program for Earth and the fellow colonies.

Dorothy brightened at the news. She had grown weary of the long deliberations, the hours spent reading up on their platform, and making sure she had every document that would be needed if the treaty passed before every meeting.

The last one had been especially exhausting as they'd had to return twice. She was happy about this "break" and pleased they might be doing some hands on work with a different kind of people.

Dorothy stretched out her legs a bit in her chair as Relena spoke to all of the advisory board.

"This project ties in nicely to our next deliberation, which will _not_ be for a while," Relena smiled as a few happy sighs circled around the room, "on L3."

"L3 happens to be the poorest colony in our immediate solar system. There are many orphans there as a direct result of on going civil wars. Like in Earth's Africa, children are taken up into guerilla armies' ranks and used as decoys, spies, and begin an early training in combat before they even receive a meaningful education."

"It's our goal to help L3 and other various sections throughout our system to pull out of their private distress and bypass the slums label with flying colors. We're going to make "someone else's problem", everyone's problem; one man should not be left to struggle alone."

"_All_ of us suffered the effects of war; it's now time for all of us to experience the joys of peace."

"Also, on further data about L3, civil war has slowed down somewhat with the current peace, but now the inner strife stems from the people's dissatisfaction with their government. Various warlords rise up every day trying to become the new leader—or more appropriately—dictator."

Dorothy looked to be deep in thought and Relena looked around the room, noticing she looked as if she wanted to say something.

"I offer the floor to anyone else now. Any others have any thoughts?" Relena asked.

Dorothy rose to her feet glanced around the room briefly. No one made any indication they were going to stand and speak. Dorothy made the move to stand and Relena nodded her acquiescence.

"Dorothy you have the floor," Relena offered, taking a seat.

Relena curiously observed Dorothy's look for the day. It was certainly different. Her long blond hair was in a single braid down her back instead of wild and free, a simple white rubber-band binding the end.

Her suit was less flamboyant by several degrees. She wore peach, pinstriped pants, sitting low on her slim hips. The legs flared only slightly and were a straight fit all the way down to her stiletto-heeled feet.

She had on a short, coffee colored wrap jacket, the wide sash snuggly bound around her entire stomach, just below her breasts. It was stretched over a fitted French cuff shirt, buttoned up carefully over her chest.

Relena thought she looked so quiet today; less demand and conquer and more sweet persuasion.

'She looks absolutely adorable,' Relena giggled quietly, admiring Dorothy with a secret pride that she'd grown comfortable enough to feel she could command a room without visible aggression.

"I can see how anyone can be a little doubtful that Earth can solve so many problems at once. However, as Relena and I at these deliberations have especially discovered, we are not the only ones eager to have everyone sleep a little safer at night and have regular meals every day."

"The other colonies will be assisting us in our endeavors as best they can, helping to strengthen their ties with the other colonies as well. Also, L3 has a booming entertainment industry, and although poorly managed as of yet, there is great potential for inner economic growth so that they can eventually help themselves with much less assistance."

Some of those who had looked doubtful seemed to visibly relax and there was a more enthusiastic energy about the room. Relena nodded at Dorothy as she took a seat, rising to her feet once more to speak.

Relena mused on how Dorothy seemed to always make an idea seem better and more tangible no matter how much she thought she'd covered the subject on her own.

"Also, I'm sure everyone knows about L3's circus?" Relena smiled and paused, observing the nods and a few nostalgic smiles around the room.

"Well, they happen to do a lot of charity events for the local youth on L3 and I'd hoped to invite them to Earth to perform on a larger scale to help raise—_hopefully—_the most money they ever have for L3!" Relena exclaimed excitedly, sounding like the young fifteen-year-old girl she'd left behind so long ago.

There was applause and a few commented that it was truly a superb idea. Dorothy's eyes, unseen to everyone else, widened a bit.

'Trowa? Coming to Earth? _Now_? For the love of…'

"Well, I'll designate a few of you to organize a few of the details for me, but of course there's still a lot to do. This will be a treat for all of us and this will be a great way for L3's orphans to gain more exposure to the world's eye and hopefully be a great start into incorporating the people in this assistance effort also."

"The meeting with L3's delegates will be later and hopefully help the government and Earth's government into gaining a more positive standing with its people. The people have a reason to distrust government of any location and we have to show them that _we will not abandon them_."

The meeting ended with applause and Dorothy joined in weakly, a little disconcerted, but just as affected by Relena's energy and happiness as everyone.

Everyone rose to leave and Dorothy followed suit slowly. Relena came over to her smiling, and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"That went great! I'm so excited! We'll be working with _kids_ for once Dorothy! And Trowa will be able to visit, along with the others, _and _since all this won't be for some time, everything has slowed down somewhat enough for Quatre and you to go on your vacation. _Aren't you excited_? I know I am!"

"Oh yeah, and once we do organize the charity event with the circus, which probably won't be too difficult—as long as they have time—we can all take off up until the circus date and all the way through until about a week before L3's deliberations. I'm thinking that will be a solid _four weeks_!" Relena exclaimed, greatly happily and a little breathless.

Dorothy felt truly disturbed at this new admission. Trowa would be on Earth; he would now be able to _really _witness her marital problems up close as he _definitely _would be visiting.

Quatre would most likely love the opportunity to help along directly with L4 with this project involving kids. She could see him trying to use every kid to show her just how magical kids could be, trying to indirectly convince her into having a baby.

And he would have _four solid weeks_ alone with her to discuss all of this and muse on how to work best with kids, kids, and more kids.

Work slowed down, and instead of seeing relaxation in her future, Dorothy saw tense anxiety at every turn.

Relena patted her shoulder, breaking into Dorothy's flood of thoughts, asking her again if she was as excited as she was.

"Oh you have _no_ idea," Dorothy answered, turning to smile faintly back at her.

* * *

After the meeting in the morning, and a few hours of paperwork and calls, everyone had been sent home early along with Dorothy at the now golden hour of 1:30 pm.

Quatre would not be home till at least 6 pm so Dorothy had some time to kill. Dorothy sighed, unaccustomed to the foyer being so flooded with early afternoon sunlight; a place and sight she didn't often see on a Monday.

It was all so bittersweet. She was of course happy to be off (sort of off) for today, delighted that she wouldn't be trapped in a meeting room for a while, happy to be helping kids that will now have the chance to experience **some** joy, and looking forward to a month's vacation in some paradise, scandalously alone with one of the hottest, most considerate men in the universe.

But at the same time, all the earlier fears she had of Trowa being around in all his discerning glory, the kids being used against her inner resistance, _and_ being cornered away during all of this, came flooding back to her.

At least the day off still looked good.

Dorothy shrugged and reached her doorstep finally, nodding to the doorman, and letting herself in.

"You know what? Who cares! I'll cross that bridge when I come to it!" Dorothy smiled, looking thoughtfully at the clock.

'Today will be my resurrection…or my death. _I hold the reigns to my fate_.'

Rashid entered the room, bowing slightly in greeting to her. "Miss Dorothy."

"Hello Rashid, how are you on this lovely day?" Dorothy smiled back.

"I'm well. I see you're home rather early. Easy day?" Rashid asked, taking her coat in his typical considerate manner.

"Better than easy. We received news no more deliberations for at least a month! Can you believe it? We're going to be doing some charity work for a while in collaboration with the other colonies. We're fighting a second front on poverty along with transportation and communication difficulties among our solar system."

"That's sounds splendid. I'm sure the Maguanac Corps would be happy to help organize any charity events in any way we can," Rashid nodded, smiling at his mistress's happiness.

"That would be excellent Rashid. I'll let Relena know. Oh, I need your help for something else today too…" Dorothy said slowly, running her forefinger across her bottom lip in a sly smile.

Rashid raised one bushy eyebrow. "Oh? And what is entailed in your request?"

Dorothy gave him another mysterious smile. "Follow me!" And with that she whipped around and headed into the opposite direction.

Dorothy eventually led Rashid to the threshold of the kitchen, her hands on her hips, legs planted firmly apart.

She looked like a woman ready to conquer the gods themselves.

At this point, her eyes were alight with an intense violet fire. Her mouth was curved into an absolutely egotistical grin that would make Alexander the Great proud.

Rasid raised both eyebrows at this point, thoroughly amused and confused.

"Miss Dorothy? Is there something we're going to be doing in here?"

"Why yes…my dear, dear, _dear_ Rashid," Dorothy responded in a silky smooth, proper English/ other unknown accent. She only turned her head slowly to gaze back at him over her right shoulder.

Rashid grew a little concerned at this point, blinking at the look in Dorothy's eyes.

He kept his expression impassive while he patiently waited for her to elaborate.

"Old sport, we're not going to be building a house! Or a rocket ship! Or flying to the moon! _Oh no_!" Dorothy exclaimed, still immersed in her strange accent; speaking like a character in a Shakespearian play, her monologue deciding the fate of millions.

She suddenly released an odd and unexpected short bark-of-a-laugh from her lips.

Sweat now clearly glistened off of Rashid's forehead.

But he still waited quietly for an explanation.

"_Oh no_...Far from it my dear chap."

"Then what are we—" Rashid began, finally at his wits' end.

"_Silence_!" Dorothy boomed with calm authority. She now turned fully to face Rashid, her lips in a positively maniac smile.

Rashid now felt a cold sweat developing down his back.

"Good things come to those who wait," she said matter-of-factly, brushing away imaginary lint from her sleeves.

She cleared her throat. "Now where was I? Oh…yes!" she shouted suddenly, as if she'd just discovered the idea of a lifetime.

Rashid felt the need to loosen his collar. He could feel a vein pumping steadily right above his eyebrow…

"My dear Rashid…"

"_**We're going to be cooking dinner**._"

* * *

Dorothy listened to Rashid attentively as he gently directed her to each and every item section in the kitchen. The general cook for guests had also come over, Iman, and she was helping Dorothy take out the many dishes as well as showing her how to use them.

Dorothy felt very happy. Iman and Rashid noticed their mistress's slight glow and they were more than a little joyous themselves—and relieved. They had noticed the recent tensions between Dorothy and Quatre, their employers and friends.

Dorothy didn't want too much help so she'd only initiated their help with finding ingredients and objects and their uses.

She'd never really been_ allowed_ real independence in her household, let alone the "lowly" task of cooking for another, during her complicated childhood and adolescence. Even as an adult, Quatre had mostly taken care of all things culinary along with the cooks.

"I don't think I'm making anything Middle Eastern tonight…hmm, Quatre has made a lot of that pretty regularly lately," Dorothy mused, rubbing her finger against her lips as she thought aloud.

Dorothy suddenly popped her head up. "I know!" she smiled, and Rashid and Iman paused in their movements, looking at her questioningly.

Dorothy danced on her light fencing feet, grinning from ear to ear, her finger leaving her lips to rest against her temple.

"I remember…I used sneak into the kitchen when the cooks were making things. They made this dish, just once, because of course the Catalonian palette wouldn't dare eat the same thing twice."

"My father…I can best describe him in my tattered memories as suave, energetic, daring and charming. I think this was all the reflection of his Barcelonan heritage. Did I ever tell you my father was born in South America?"

Rashid and Iman shared a look. "We'd have to say no," Rashid responded.

"Well anyway, he requested the cooks make this traditional dish from his country—Catalonia; Barcelona is its capital," she grinned at their perplexed looks at her and her father's name being the name of the country.

"Another tidbit, I'm Spanish royalty. We are very much removed but never the less related to those who founded Catalonia and its old royalty," Dorothy grinned wider at their raised eyebrows.

"Does Master Quatre know this?" Iman giggled, placing a small brown hand to her lips, amused at this new information.

"I'm afraid to say he doesn't. We have a lot to learn about one another yet," Dorothy smiled fondly, thinking of all the small facts about one another they had yet to discover and enjoy.

"My mother was German and English and my father was a Spaniard. Got it now?" At their nods Dorothy grinned and continued on with her story.

"Good. Well anyway, the dish was called Gambas al Ajillo. I remember the name because as the cooks were preparing it they peered into this little book they needed because only one of our cooks was also a native Spaniard."

"It's a wonderful dish. I will be right back!" And with that Dorothy was jogging out of the kitchen to Quatre's office to use their flat screen computer.

Iman smile at Rashid. "Miss Dorothy is so happy today. I'm glad she told us a little about her childhood. I feel a little closer to our mysterious mistress."

Rashid nodded. "This is good for Miss Dorothy. I think I'll suggest that Master Quatre let her cook more often."

In less than three minutes, Dorothy returned triumphantly waving a sheet of paper with the recipe on it.

"Let's cook some gambas!"

* * *

Sorry! You'll have to find out what Gambas al Ajillo is next chapter! But **review **on this chapter! Thanks!

_Angel of Mirth_


	9. The Blessing and Damning of Truth

**Disclaimer: **I** do not **own Gundam Wing! See? Short and sweet.

**A/N: **I got this out quick enough, ne? I just had to say this, Blackangel32076 I absolutely laughed and laughed at your post; I truly enjoyed it. I also truly cherish all the reviews I had received so far. It really is a delight hearing from you all and every encouraging word really makes me love to write all the more. Happy 4th of July! Thank you to all the men and women who serve so selflessly!

**Warning: **Once again, this chapter contains a lemon. That is sexual intercourse between two consenting adults in this case. Once again if you don't even know what that is, you shouldn't be reading this. If you are not at least 16, you shouldn't be reading this. If that kind of thing annoys you, skip this chapter or perhaps you should just stop reading this story.

Thanks!

* * *

' ' are Thoughts

Italics are Past events

* * *

**_"If It Makes You Happy"_**

_"I love you, and because I love you, I would sooner have you hate me for telling you the truth than adore me for telling you lies."_

_

* * *

_A flash of white-blond lightning darted past Rasid and Iman as they readjusted the freshly cut tulips of red, yellow, and variegated. The gardener had run out to buy these at Dorothy's insistent request, her only explanation: 'I did some extra research on these flowers and they _have_ to be here!'

Dorothy had positioned her and Quatre's dinnerware across from one another horizontally instead of vertically so they could be closer to one another this time. The tableware she'd decided upon for their meal was new; she herself had roared out in her Jaguar to go buy traditional Spanish silverware to use especially for this meal.

The plates were a gorgeous hand-painted design by an artist actually sitting within sight of the Moorish fortress called the Alhambra in Spain to paint it—a classic Spanish design. The colors the painter chose were a fiery crimson and gold, reflecting Dorothy's excitement perfectly. She had also bought a crystal Porron wine pitcher for the white wine she intended to bring out just before their meal began.

_Rasid and Iman ran to the window at the loud peeling out of Dorothy's wheels in alarm. As Dorothy sped away Iman began to giggle. Rasid on the other hand took a deep breath, a little more maddened than amused by the world wind of activity._

"_She's so excited. It's adorable! Don't you think so Rasid? She wants everything to be perfect so let's do our best with the decorations," Iman smiled.  
_

The two had done just that. They had taken the honey suckles and rosebud mosses that Dorothy had also specifically requested, and littered them throughout the table stylishly. The fragrance in the room was heavenly; scents of happy love and childhood.

Dorothy ran past them again. This time out of the kitchen and up the stairs. She paused on the stairway briefly, suddenly staring at the table with a slight frown.

She smiled at Rasid. "Please adjust those flowers again! Thanks!"

Rasid put a hand to his head in exasperation. This would be the tenth time—literally.

"Yes Miss Dorothy," he said obediently, reminding himself his mistress was **only** in the full throes of excitement and anxiety and that she only wanted everything to be perfect.

The meal had come out nicely in the end and Rasid and Iman had been thoroughly impressed, congratulating Dorothy profusely. Her small smile was full of joy and she looked at them both with new eyes of amazement that she'd actually gotten in right.

* * *

_Dorothy eventually convinced Rasid and Iman to take a drive with her to shop for ingredients. Rasid gripped the handle bar all the way to the market, swearing to himself that Dorothy had to be driving as fast as a mobile suit blasting off through space. Iman only grinned and enjoyed the change of pace._

_Dorothy ran all over the store searching for each ingredient. Rasid and Iman were barely able to keep up, but even Rasid had enjoyed himself thoroughly. They'd been home within an hour and a half and they were now going to begin cooking at what was now four o'clock._

"_Now, this is a quote "savory dish you will find all over Spain, from the Atlantic coast to the Mediterranean" Dorothy read from her recipe. This is normally cooked in cazuelas—oh no! Do we have any of those? Iman? Rasid?" _

"_Actually we do," Iman smiled widely. "I try to stock cookware of all kinds in this kitchen Miss Dorothy."_

"_Why you're a genius!" Dorothy had complimented her, returning her eyes to the paper. "Alright, actually," Dorothy looked up, "you two can go, I can do this. Thank you for all your help so far. If I need help I know who to call."_

_Rasid had been ready to question if that were wise, considering her experience with stoves and ovens, but Iman had nodded and dragged him out before he could make Dorothy second guess herself. _

_Dorothy took the one-pound bowl of twenty king gambas and placed them in front of her. She'd remembered Iman's directions and began to peel and devein them slowly at first, but she soon picked up speed._

_She finished the shrimp and dumped two cups of Calasparra rice into four cups of water. She turned away from it and left it to boil. _

_She took the eight crushed cloves of garlic, crushed whole, dried chili pepper and tablespoon of bittersweet seasonings and set them off to one side on her chopping board for easy access._

_Dorothy knew she was forgetting something…_

"_Yes! The rice!" She reached for the pot of Calasparra rice to lower the heat so it could simmer for twenty minutes. She yelped and pulled her hands back._

"_You're forgetting mitts genius." She got them out the drawer to her left and used them to move the pot onto a smaller heat. 'Much better. So far so good Dorothy.'_

'_And now the hard part.' _

_Dorothy put four tablespoons virgin olive oil into the cazuelas and placed them on the stove. She carefully put the heat onto high and then commenced to stare at the dish and will it to hurry up and heat. _

'_Come on, come on, come on—oh yeah!' Dorothy went her hand and flicked a few drops of water into the clay dish. A satisfying crackle filled her ears and Dorothy smiled and quickly added in the shrimp. _

_She reached for the pan again with her bare hands once more, then caught herself and put on the mitts. She remembered Iman's directions and gently rocked the dish. _

_She let the cazuela go for a second and darted to the seasonings. She quickly added the garlic and chili and a few sprinkles of freshly ground black pepper._

_She turned down the heat and rocked it gently, starting up the sauté for the described minute. She quickly snatched up the ingredient paper and frowned, scanning it for the last steps._

"_Ah yes!" She took the half cup of Sherry white wine and one-third cup of lemon juice and a generous splash of olive oil. She jumped back in surprise as the juice popped up at her face. _

"_For the love of—"_

_Before she could finish her sentence the pan began to slide. She cursed softly and she jumped back adjusting it. She rocked the dish gently again letting most of the liquid dry up before shutting off the stove. _

_She glanced nervously at the rice and saw that it was almost done. She remembered Rasid's tip to let the steam cook the rice and shut it off early, covering the pot. _

_Dorothy let out a deep sigh then let out a soft giggle. Before she knew it, she, Dorothy Catalonia, was actually freely laughing._

_Rasid and Iman quickly rushed into the kitchen, their faces visions of worry. When they saw their normally calm and collected superior actually laughing, warm smiles came to their faces. Dorothy caught herself and looked at the two with a soft smile._

"_I did it."_

_

* * *

_Dorothy returned downstairs slowly, spotting Iman and Rasid deep in conversation by the dinner table. They both looked at her and Iman's lips soon curved into a smile. Rasid rubbed the bridge of his nose and swallowed.

"Do you think it's too much?" Dorothy asked innocently. She turned around slowly, allowing them to observe her outfit in full.

Dorothy had gone for a look that purred sexuality, but kept her looking classy, leaving much to the imagination. She had on a black, lace halter top. The neck was a low dipped V-neck with scalloped trim and tied around at the back of her neck. It was well-fitted and nicely showed her trim waist and ample chest.

She had on a pair of bright red slacks, sitting low on her waist; the sexy fit showing off the curvature of her lower body. They were sleek and modern and the color went well with her open-toe and black, low heels.

She'd taken out her modest braid earlier and her hair was now a glorious wave of gold. She looked totally different from their normal Dorothy in Iman and Rasid's eyes. She looked as young as she did in the war, even though even now she was only twenty-one and almost twenty-two.

"Very nice Miss Dorothy," Iman praised. Rasid nodded slowly in agreement, clearing his throat. "I'll be…waiting by the door for Master Quatre," he said, quickly excusing himself.

Iman chuckled. "I think he's had enough of us girls for one day. I'll bring out the fruit and dip appetizer Miss Dorothy."

Dorothy nodded. "Thank you. You've really help me a lot today."

"My pleasure," Iman smiled, leaving quietly.

Dorothy sat down at the side of the table, pensively drumming her fingers. Within moments, there was the noise of a key in a lock and Dorothy felt her heart flutter.

Suddenly a flash of remembrance came to Dorothy and for a moment she gripped her arm rest tightly. 'One thing at a time Dorothy, one thing at a time.'

As Dorothy heard Quatre and Rasid exchange pleasantries, Iman brought in and set up the main dish and appetizer with the help of an assistant. Last but not least, she placed a bottle of newly purchased and freshly chilled white wine. She gave Dorothy a wink and left.

Just as she left Quatre entered the room and Dorothy locked her gaze with his. "Quatre."

"Dorothy!" Quatre said with surprise. He was froze and stared at her, the decorations, and the food.

"You look…you look like perfection," he breathed, he eyes returning to gaze at her most admiringly.

Dorothy bit her lip and smiled the coy smile she was famous for. "Go change I'll be waiting."

Quatre nodded obediently and left the room still in shock.

Dorothy rose from her chair and poured the white wine into the pitched. She finished just as Quatre returned minutes later. He had put on a pair of khakis and pale yellow t-shirt. He sat down at the head of the table and looked at Dorothy in awe.

"Did you, who cooked all this? Decorated?" Quatre blinked still observing everything curiously, his speech a bit disconnected in his astonishment.

"I cooked it. And I picked out the flowers, but Rasid and Iman decorated the table."

"You cooked it? Dorothy! I didn't know you could cook! Or you want to! You should have told me," he lightly admonished her, taking her hand into his own.

Dorothy smiled. "I didn't know I could cook. First off, let's help ourselves to this fruit and cream dip then we can get to _eating_ what I cooked."

Quatre insisted on feeding Dorothy after 'all she went through for him' and of course he took it as his opportunity to brush the dip across her lips and clean it off with his tongue. She laughed and bit the tip of his tongue lightly, feeding him when he allowed her to.

Quatre reached forward, twining his hands into his hair. "This look…is beautiful," he murmured, his eyes trailing downward over her body. Dorothy could feel herself shiver under his gaze and chucked his chin lightly with her thumb.

"Back to the meal. I worked too hard on it," Dorothy scolded him.

He picked up her hand and turned it upward to him. He slowly began to kiss the padding of her finger tips and palm, drawing each digit into his moist mouth to suckle on softly.

Dorothy grinned and pulled her hand away. "The food silly! I didn't work_ that _hard on this look."

Quatre grinned sheepishly and the two served themselves. Quatre was mumbling compliments at every bite, generously swishing his fresh bread in the sauce and taking seconds on it with the rice.

"What's the name of this Dorothy? What kind of food is this? It's wonderful! I've gotten so used to my homeland's traditional cooking I've forgotten food like this existed."

"It's called Gambas al Ajillo, or garlic shrimp," Dorothy replied casually.

"This is Spanish?" Quatre asked in surprise.

"I never told you, but my Dad was a Spaniard. I'm actually fluent in the language. He was born in Barcelona, Catalonia. Oh and I'm Spaniard royalty," Dorothy grinned, enjoying Quatre's increasing confusion.

"Wh-What? Royalty? Dorothy explain."

Dorothy explained her heritage to him and how she came up with the dish. Quatre was amazed and told her how happy he was she had good memories to look back on. A look of realization suddenly came to him and he smirked.

"No wonder your temper is so—"

Dorothy put a finger to his lips and smirked back. "Don't test your luck."

* * *

When they finished eating, they went into their living room to curl up on the couch. Quatre pulled Dorothy into his lap, holding her close to him as he told her about his day and asked about her last negotiations meeting. Dorothy told him how her other night went and they soon lapsed into a casual silence.

"I missed this Dorothy," Quatre whispered softly into her hair, threading her long lochs through his fingers.

Dorothy cuddled herself more closely into his chest. "I did too Quatre. Let's never fight again?" she asked softly, inhaling his scent deeply.

He tilted her chin up to his lips and deeply kissed her, his hands slinking over the curves of her breasts. Dorothy smoothed her hand up his chest and around his neck, grasping him to her more tightly.

A battle of tongues ensued, each kiss rougher than the last. He bit into her lips as she bit into his, his grip tightening and loosening around her body and in her hair as they bruised one another's lips in affectionate passion.

Dorothy groaned softly, as he pulled her up further, soon dipping her into one arm as they gradually slid downward onto the soft sofa.

Dorothy stopped him, placing one hand on his chest and pushing him up gently.

"Wait Quatre," she whispered and Quatre pulled back, sitting up with her easily. He kissed her cheek softly, nuzzling into her soft skin.

"What is it my love?"

There was a brief pause of quiet, the soft glow of a French lamp on a table nearby and the ample moonlight through their Italian designed windows their only other guests.

Dorothy was enjoying herself, but something that had been bothering her since the night before was forcing her to finally determine if tonight would truly be her death or resurrection.

"I have…something to ask you. What…happened the last night between you and An Liu? You came home so late," Dorothy asked, keeping her tone steady, though the beginnings of angry accusation were already boiling down within her.

"We went out to a café. She'd called me up to, well I'm not sure why really," he frowned, realizing even during the course of the night the reason for her call had never been answered.

"But anyway, she picked up on my recent…stressful feelings and asked if I'd like to share an evening drink to just talk or something. I agreed."

"And you two…just shared a drink?" Dorothy pressed.

"She...well she tried to kiss me. Well she did kiss me but I pushed her away. There was something odd about her mouth though, it was—"

"Your tongue was in her mouth?" Dorothy yelled in disbelief, pushing away from him.

"No!" Quatre tried to assure her. "Well she tried to, in my mouth, and something—"

"Obviously she did! What's wrong with you Quatre? I thought there was nothing between you two!" Dorothy said angrily, rising to her feet.

"Dorothy! Listen to me! She kissed me! And I—"

"Quatre, it takes two people to kiss. Did you…did you enjoy it?" Dorothy said more quietly, the first pangs of hurt entering into her voice. She struggled to contain her emotions, cursing herself softly.

"By God Dorothy! She's a silly idiot compared to you! She's a characterless brat! She is nothing to me! She has feelings for me but I hold none for her! _None _Dorothy! _None_!"

Quatre dropped to his knees, taking her hands into his own as he gazed up at her imploringly.

"Please believe me Dorothy," he whispered. "Let's not have another miscommunication. She is nothing Dorothy. The sun would have to fall into the Earth and a thousand angels burst out like a piñata before I ever felt a drop of the love I feel for you for her. I'm devoted and married to you Dorothy…there's only you in the deepest parts of my heart Dorothy. Only you, and always you."

Dorothy gazed at him silently, tears coming into her eyes. The seconds slowly crept passed and Quatre could feel fear gradually rising up into his throat.

"I believe you Quatre," she replied tenderly at last.

"It's in your eyes...one of the first things I fell in love with about you," Dorothy continued, her voice growing thicker with emotion at every moment, a soft chuckle escaping her lips.

A hesitant smile came to her face. "Sun into the Earth you say? A thousand angels burst out like a…piñata?" Dorothy grinned wider, amusement dancing in her eyes.

Quatre smiled warmly, rising to his feet. "A trillion. Dorothy, I don't want to talk anymore," he whispered, pulling her softer form into a hard embrace.

"Let me show you how much I love you."

Dorothy silently nodded and felt her feet leave the ground as he gathered her into his arms. She closed her eyes, giving into the yens of her body and letting go of any uncertainty in her mind.

* * *

Dorothy clutched at Quatre's back like a child to its most beloved possession, happily embracing him as he buried his scent into her with each flittering kiss across her neck, collarbone, and face.

He just held her to him for a time, slowly working off the bindings of her bra, releasing almost the full sight of her body to his eager eyes. His lips continued to drown themselves in the slope of her neck, her hushed cries only causing him to lower his lips further to the dip of her breasts, causing her more frustrated anticipation.

She twisted his hair in between her fingers forcefully and Quatre invited the pain; his only concentration was on bringing her to a blinding climax and nothing else; to have only him on her mind and the gratification he so adamantly wanted to provide.

She raised her arms above her head and allowed him to slip off her bra and his mouth quickly descended downward, but instead of landing where she expected and needed, he merely skimmed his lips ever so lightly around the curving edge.

Dorothy went to move his head and his slid his own arms between her own and around, pinning them back and far apart at her sides. He finally took the most sensitive part of her flesh into the damp expanse of his mouth, letting his warm tongue lavishly ignite each nerve.

Gentle kisses became teasing bites, then prolonged suckling of his lips, leaving red blemishes in their wake upon her skin.

Dorothy forcefully arched up at that point and Quatre lifted his face and released her arms, allowing her to flip him onto his back.

Dorothy sat up onto his hips, placing her hands onto his chest as she lowered her mouth to forcefully push his lips apart with her tongue. She tasted him thoroughly, a soft groan of desire escaping her lips as she moved above him, grinding their lower bodies together slowly.

"You tease me too much," she mumbled, slinking her own fingers into his partly opened slacks. Quatre this time was arching up to meet her, holding her hips firmly, moaning deep in his throat as she moved above him.

"I know and we both love it," he grinned and flipped her back underneath him and Dorothy chuckled softly, allowing Quatre to take full control again He finished taking off the rest of his clothes, and moved back on top of her.

Quatre loved the strong fragrance the honey blossoms had left on her skin and hair. They lush aroma only ignited his senses further with the unfamiliarity of it. He was used to her softer, clean scent of citrus. But tonight, the feeling of excitement from her was only reinforced with the new fervent scent.

He finally slipped off the thin material of her lingerie and as he adjusted her to him. Dorothy placed one hand on his stomach in the motion of stopping him.

"Quatre, in the drawer…there's a condom; take it out. I want to put it on for you. Let's see if it changes anything," Dorothy whispered softly, an ardent smile on her lips.

He paused, and kissed her, whispering against her mouth, "Are you sure?" doing all in his power to see if he could extinguish this mysterious fear…

"I'm sure Quatre. I just want to see. We haven't before," Dorothy gazed up at him innocently; her full expression hidden from him in the moonlight and dusk.

Quatre nodded and kissed her quickly once again, finding the item she asked for. He gave it to her and allowed her to place it on him. She leaned her head up to his and kissed each of his lips lovingly.

"Now," she whispered, the urgency in her voice clear.

Quatre did not hesitate and took his time to enter her slowly, allowing her to feel every inch in gradual, tantalizing steps.

Before he even finished, she was entangled around him and they moved together in a familiar rhythm. Dorothy slid her hands onto his bottom, moving him more slowly or more quickly as she wished, one hand sliding lower to grip at his thigh softly. She moved her hand higher to do it again, her soft hands massaging warmly into his firm skin. She moved her hands at different times, repeating her movements, gripping him tightly each time she felt she'd reached her limit.

Quatre couldn't take it anymore. "Dorothy," he growled, the tightening of her hands and body exasperating him to no end. He pulled back from her quickly and slide his hands to her hips, turning her onto her stomach.

Dorothy gasped softly as he slid her up to meet him, reentering her from his new position behind her. Dorothy yelled his name aloud, his reentrance deeper and much fuller inside of her. Quatre lost himself in the feel of her, even the sounds of her ecstasy leaving him.

'I need to be closer to her! I need her more! This,' he thought urgently, opening his eyes and pulling fully away from her, tearing off the offending second skin, 'must go.'

He reentered her more forcefully than before. He could hear Dorothy calling out beneath him, begging him to finish and telling him she wanted to meet him there.

Quatre shouted blissfully at his climax, hugging her to him possessively. Dorothy reached the height of her passion with him, calling his name out over and over.

Quatre hugged Dorothy to him gently, her own arms encircled around him tightly.

"I love you Quatre. I love you more than anything in this world…" she whispered against his neck.

"I love you Dorothy; forever and always," he whispered back.

Dorothy playfully ran her nails over his chest and smiled up at him. "You were wonderful. It didn't feel different at all."

"What didn't? Oh," and Quatre felt the first pangs of guilt within him. "You just make me a better man in all aspects Dorothy," he said softly, kissing her forehead to hide his troubled gaze from her.

Dorothy chuckled against him, snuggling herself into the crook of his arm. Quatre adjusted the two of them so Dorothy could lay full on his chest in his arms.

He caressed her tenderly, looking over her golden head to gaze out the same window and into the same night sky Dorothy had not so long ago.

Quatre felt troubled and a small voice within him argued his actions.

'She's your _wife_! Nonetheless, she was only seeking a new sensation; nothing more, nothing less.'

A smaller voice however argued back also. 'There may have been more to her words.'

'Then she's the sly one!' the first voice argued back.

Quatre shook his head and forced his eyes closed, letting the darkness drown out the moonlight as well as his uneasy thoughts.

'Or maybe he is…'

* * *

**Gambas** - Spanish for "prawns," or any of various edible crustaceans similar to but larger than the shrimps.

**Cazuelas**** - **Terra cotta cooking dishes made of clay which has been glazed over a low fire. They have been used in Spain for thousands of years literally from the time of the Romans, and even before. The glaze on the cazuelas contains no lead, and is safe for all cooking applications.

**Tulips (General)** - Perfect Lover, Frame

**Tulip (Red)** - Believe Me, Declaration of Love

**Tulip (Variegated)** - Beautiful Eyes

** Tulip (Yellow)** - There's Sunshine in Your Smile

**Moorish Fortress called the Alhambra in Spain** - Monument in Granada, Spain. Moorish fortress from the 11th century.

**Honey suckles - **Generous and devoted affection

**Rosebud (mosses)** - Confession of love

* * *

Hmm, I'll let this chapter speak for itself. Just listed some things people may not be familiar with (I know I wasn't!) and a clue to just why I used those flowers in paticular. If you haven't noticed yet, I love the messages flowers can hold. Enough of me and my mindless prattle, _**review**_ like you have so far! And to those who haven't, what are you waiting for!

_Angel of Mirth_


	10. God Only Knows

**Disclaimer: **I really don't own Gundam Wing! Promise! Now put down those pitchforks! I don't own the song or song title "God Only Knows" by The Beach title of this chapter is a reference to The Beach Boys song. It's really good! It was played at the end of the movie "Love Actually" and it was all lovely. What Quatre says at the end is a line from the song "God Only Knows" too.

**A/N:** After a small break I really felt like writing again, especially after all those nice reviews. Some made me laugh, some made me just as excited as you all were. I really enjoy this process. On a random note, as I was down in Virginia over the weekend, anyone from Virgina: You have aggressive mosquitoes!

* * *

' ' are Thoughts

Italics are Past events

* * *

_**"If It Makes You Happy" **_

_"Friendships, like marriages, are dependent on avoiding the unforgivable." _

_

* * *

_Quatre woke to the feel of feathery soft lips against his and a light giggle in his ears. The firm weight that had covered his body suddenly rolled off completely, followed by a train of hair gliding across his entire face and torso.

"Dorothy?" Quatre questioned groggily, blinking his eyes and blindly patting beside himself on the bed.

Dorothy meanwhile stood above her sleepy husband with her arms crossed, fully dressed for work.

"I'm already up Quatre. I'm sorry to wake you up but I just couldn't resist kissing you. Last night was just so _wonderful_," Dorothy mumbled, her lips now once again against his, losing her words in a long kiss.

Quatre smiled against her mouth and kissed her back, reaching a hand up into her hair and pinning her face against his. Dorothy chuckled and pulled back as he tried to deepen the kiss. They both had grown accustomed to the habit of holding the other's head closely through their hair to try and take control over the kiss.

"Nope, not this morning Quatre. We'll have _many _mornings soon enough. For now I've got to go to work. I'll probably be home early today once again. Ah before I forget," she stuffed a small piece of paper into Quatre's hand as he still lay plastered against the bed, trying to rub life into his eyes.

Dorothy shouted a goodbye and Quatre's tired eyes caught the sight of her long blond hair, loose once again, disappearing behind their closing bedroom door.

Quatre supported himself on his forearms a few moments more before finally collapsing back into his warm bed, a deep sigh escaping his lips.

He yawned and stretched to his heart's content, the paper that had been stuffed into his hand by Dorothy unexpectedly falling to the floor. Quatre let out a slight groan and made himself lean over the side of his mattress to pick it up. He quickly unfolded the troublesome scrap.

He read the carefully written scribbling:

"_Love wouldn't be love without you Quatre. Today is our resurrection. Let's make every day more beautiful than the last."_

She'd written childish hearts around his name and Quatre slowly crushed the paper within his fist, collapsing back down again with his eyes closed.

"Haven't gotten one of these in a while. She's so loving now and open…I wonder if this is how she was when she was a child," Quatre smiled impulsively, but the smile was twisted and sad. He closed his eyes once again, believing maybe he could just sleep it all away…

"No Quatre, you have to go to work. Work, work, work until you've sweated out all your worries."

And with that ultimatum, Quatre ran his hands over his face and through his hair one more time and got up to go to work.

* * *

All throughout the morning as Dorothy had made her way through the building she greeting people she did and didn't know and left them with a quizzical smile on their face in the aftermath.

"You look rather cheerful this morning," Sylvia Noventa commented, grinning at the almost skipping Dorothy.

"Oh I'm just happy to be _alive_ Sylvia. Look how privileged we are to be living in these beautiful times of peace. I could just," suddenly Dorothy stopped in her bouncing walk and spun around, "dance." Dorothy finished grinning, and Sylvia continued down the hall covering her laugh against her paperwork.

Dorothy had returned to her vibrant colors, this time in wide-leg, tweed slacks of an interesting dark hunter-green. She hand on her customary matching heels, this time matching her pants not her shirt which was a light olive, stiffly pressed, cuff shirt, tucked fittingly into her pants.

She was just full of life today and by the time she reached her office, passing her flabbergasted secretary, perplexed at such a sudden change in her demeanor, the entire floor had seen her and been a little infected by her happiness.

Relena had yet to see her, already within her own office working on a formal letter to send to L3. She looked up as her secretary poked her curly head into her office door, an excited smile on her face.

"Ms. Relena, you should get a look at Ms. Dorothy. She's positively _out of her mind_. The whole floors talking about it," the young girl gossiped excitedly, her only bad trait being she liked to spread any news she felt was exciting enough to share even if Relena was up to her eyelids in paperwork.

Relena welcomed the break however and nodded. "Make sure to take any messages I receive, if it's quite pressing, buzz it over to Dorothy's office." Her young secretary nodded and disappeared, returning to her desk positively smug.

Relena nodded at Dorothy's secretary as she made her way to Dorothy's office. She lightly knocked on her door.

"Come iiiinnnn," Dorothy sang out and Relena hesitated before entering the room with a shocked smile on her face.

"Well aren't you just so cheerful this morning! What happened? Did you get laid?" Relena grinned evilly at her friend.

Dorothy chuckled and waved her off. "Oh more than that my dear girl. I had the absolutely most _perfec_t dinner with Quatre and I cooked for the first time in my life and everything was just _perfect_," Dorothy babbled, drunk with joy.

Relena grinned. "I see. Perhaps you can tell Heero and me both about your cooking experiences over lunch today? Yes? What do you say?" Relena pressed, perching herself onto Dorothy's desk.

She wanted to take advantage of her good mood to finally have her join them in a little bit of a fun outside of the office, even for just an hour.

"And you can tell me all about your delicious romp with Quatre. I always wanted if he was an angel in _all_ parts of life too," Relena giggled, smirking at her friend now.

Dorothy smirked back. "Okay, I'll spill a bit of the details and I think I just might join you for that lunch today. Did I ever tell you Relena just how much of a little sprite you've become ever since you fully brought a certain Mr. Yuy back into your life?" Dorothy scolded lightly.

Relena let out a little cheer as Dorothy agreed, hopping off the desk and into the rolling chair in front of it, propping her heeled feet up onto Dorothy's desk. She waved off her teasing and smiled, sliding her hands behind her head, looking like she had all the time in the world.

"Oh tell me something I don't already know."

* * *

"I felt bad later because I definitely made both Rasid and Iman adjust the table settings at least ten times, literally. But everything just had to be absolutely perfect." Dorothy raved, a soft smile on her face even at the memory.

Relena giggled. "I think perfect is your favorite word today. So did he like it? Did you like it?"

Heero glanced at his watch every so often, hoping lunch was almost over. Sure, he was glad Dorothy was looking much happier than she'd been in the limo and any trouble in paradise seemed to have settled, but what was a man such as himself supposed to do when his wife and her best friend were giggling like six-year-olds at a slumber party and discussing dinnerware and place settings? Heero could have self-destructed right there if he had the chance.

'There is a God in heaven,' Heero inwardly celebrated as he felt his small cell phone vibrate in his pocket.

"Excuse me a moment. I need to take this call," Heero said to the both of them as he rose to his feet.

Relena never even turned around and gave him a vague wave goodbye, immersed in something Heero didn't want to know about. He could have sworn he heard the word "rough" and "breast" and was positive he didn't want to know anymore, especially if it involved a friend.

Heero moved off into a more private spot down in the gardens below the open eatery at the restaurant they were at. He wandered slowly down the path and redialed whoever had called him.

"Hello Heero," Quatre said to what Heero thought was a miserable tone.

"Are you well Quatre?" Heero asked right away, not even bothering with pleasantries.

"I…I didn't know who else to call. Trowa is busy with the circus and I only got his answering machine and a recorded voice said his cell was temporarily disconnected and—"

"Quatre, get to the point," Heero said as gently as he could. Just then Dorothy's laugh filled the air and there was silence on the other end.

"Hello?" Heero asked, growing a little impatient.

"Is Dorothy there? You know what, never mind Heero. I'm sorry I called and interrupted your meal."

"No, wait Quatre. I'm down in the gardens below the restaurant we had lunch at—Relena, myself and Dorothy. I'm already wandering further down the path. Go ahead and tell me whatever is the matter."

"Heero…could you come by to my office?" Quatre asked in a small voice, sounding hopeful and his voice still obviously tinged with sadness.

"Alright. Let me tell the girls. I'll be there shortly," Heero promised, snapping his phone shut. He walked back over to the still chattering women, this time the subject of weddings apparently the focus.

They stopped speaking and looked up as Heero approached them. "Where did you go Heero?" Relena asked, genuinely confused.

Heero blinked and just shrugged off her question. "I have to go Relena. I'll be back before you leave the office today. Don't leave without me." And with that he darted off.

"Hey Heero! Wait! We're almost done anyway and—"

"Let him go Relena," Dorothy shrugged. "He couldn't have been having much fun anyway. Look at what we're talking about?" Dorothy smirked.

Relena nodded, her attention back onto Dorothy. "Well anyway, Heero and I couldn't really be better though. I don't think we want to marry just yet, probably early sometime next year, but our relationship really could not be more ideal. I know I love him more and more all the time. And how is your darling, fairytale marriage Dorothy?"

"Now? It couldn't be better," Dorothy smiled, genuinely pleased.

* * *

Quatre held his head in his hands, earlier having to cancel a meeting because he just couldn't concentrate. He had to apologize to his staff profusely who genuinely didn't seem bothered at all, as their boss and friend rarely had a foggy moment and was more than good to them.

Quatre felt like he'd gone back in time to the period when Dorothy had just told him she didn't tell him about the pregnancy test because it wasn't a big deal. Last night had been so wonderful until—

Quatre was jolted out of his thoughts at the ringing of his telephone. He pressed the button to receive his secretary's message.

"Yes?" he asked, his voice a little raspy.

"Mr. Quatre there is a woman on line one. An Liu from the colony L5. She says you will remember her. Send her through?"

Quatre almost groaned aloud. He couldn't intertwine his emotions into his work however. She was probably calling on business.

'That's what you thought before,' his inner conscience caught him and Quatre gritted his teeth in recollection.

"Mr. Quatre?" his secretary called through the intercom.

"Yes, yes, send her through." Within moments, An Liu's porcelain doll's face of perfection appeared on his vid-phone.

"Hello Ms. Liu," Quatre greeted her before she could assault him with words.

"Hello Mr. Winner! I've called with a request from my superiors to hopefully discuss a few tentative dates we could consider; date that would allow us to still meet with L4 and still have you present in our negotiations for a treaty. I ask as of now because it'll be easier before the four week break."

"Four week break? Do you mean when Dorothy and I finally do have our vacation?" Quatre asked, his forehead wrinkled in confusion.

"Yes! Four week break! And it has no relation to your vacation planning, unless you plan to vacation over that break time. Hasn't Mrs. Winner told you?" An Liu asked, her face showing the utmost shock.

"Tell me what?" Quatre pressed, the small headache he had earlier gradually increasing in intensity the longer he spoke to this woman.

"Well, Earth is planning on collaborating with L3 to do a charity event featuring the famous L3 circus. The L5 government was recently contacted about whether or not we would like to assist with this. Apparently it's still very much in the infant stages of organization."

"So, there's supposed to be some time before the circus and work renews in the Earth offices," An Liu finished, gracing him with her signature smile.

Quatre hardly even noticed her presence after this stimulating news.

'I get to see Trowa again! Dorothy will be off work technically for a while. We could vacation and my company can be a sponsor—'

An Liu's voice interrupted the cheerful thoughts entering Quatre's overcrowded head.

"What was that Ms. Liu?"

"I asked, can we, L5, propose some dates now?"

"Oh sure go ahead. I'm sorry."

An Liu smiled. "Quite alright Mr. Winner. Now, how about the two weeks from now in the first week of August? Any of those days are fine."

"You know what Ms. Liu, I'll get back to you on that. I'm expecting someone and if I'm right I think they're here," Quatre said, and if right on cue Heero Yuy opened and closed the door with his secretary calling after him to wait.

"We'll speak tomorrow or sometime soon. Goodbye Ms. Liu and thanks for thinking of Winner Enterprises." Quatre quickly hung up.

His secretary burst into his office also, looking a little frazzled. "Mr. Winner! I'm sorry if this man interrupted you in the middle of your work! He just took it upon himself to—'

"It's perfectly alright Ms. Duke. He's an old friend of mine. I called him up kind of impromptu. Sorry I didn't inform you earlier."

"Oh," his secretary said slowly, glancing up at the indigo blue eyes now trained on her. She apologized and quickly escaped that weighty gaze.

"Sorry Heero. Please take a seat," Quatre asked, gesturing in front of him.

"I'd rather stand Quatre," Heero replied, crossing his arms and leaning back against the wall to Quatre's right.

"Now tell me what's wrong. On the phone you sounded just like you did back in space when you were blaming yourself for circumstances out of your control."

"But this was in my control Heero. Or maybe I lost control…I don't know, I—" Quatre's face was back in his hands and he was blathering mindlessly once again.

Heero had had enough. He casually walked over to Quatre and grabbed his left hand away from his face and promptly knocked him across the jaw with his right fist.

Quatre's chair spun out and bumped into the wall. The force of his collision knocked Quatre out of his chair and onto his butt on the floor.

Quatre rubbed his jaw and slowly got to his feet. "I guess I deserved that."

"You sure did," Heero interrupted, already once again leaning up against the wall.

"I think Trowa would have done the same thing. I wasn't making any sense was I?" Quatre laughed hoarsely, settling a little shakily back into his chair.

"No you weren't," Heero said, stating the obvious once again. "Now tell me why you called me here."

Quatre slowly nodded, still rubbing his already bruising jaw. "There's a lot I have to tell you, where to start…" Quatre spoke slowly, trying to gather his thoughts.

"From the beginning would be great," Heero said wryly.

Quatre slowly began to relate the events of the past few weeks to Heero, beginning with the pregnancy test, the fight about the baby and Dorothy's career, the week they spent giving one another cold shoulder, the tension with An Liu and finally the latest dispute about An Liu.

"…and that resulted in something, something very unnerving happening last night," Quatre finished, his eyes now fully trained on his hands.

"What was that Quatre?" Heero prodded him, thinking it best if Quatre got all of out now.

Quatre continued pushing his hands through his hair, making himself look all the more tense and a little crazy. He quickly revealed the rest to Heero before he exploded.

"Well, as you know, with all the stress and the denials of sex that seemed to have more meaning to them than I'd like to suppose, I just well, I was...taking Dorothy from behind and she'd ask me to use a condom earlier to "experience something new" or something along those lines."

"I just, the adrenaline of intercourse, and I guess, I guess the whole dominance factor of our state…and I just, I just felt like I needed more from her at that moment. I needed to be truly connected with her in the truest sense of the word and the condom felt like the greatest transgression to that goal. It seemed to represent to me all the walls that she'd put up recently and I just felt like if we truly wanted to clear the air that night, we had to start…bare I guess."

"Sorry for the shitty play on words Heero," Quatre laughed, coughing a little from talking so long and his throat having long ago gone dry.

He got up and walked over to the tank of water at the left wall with slow mechanical steps. He slowly filled one of the paper cups and downed the water in silence.

Heero didn't say anything at first, staying just as he'd been the entire conversation: arms crossed, leaning back against the wall, eyes closed in thought.

Quatre kept his back turned to him and crushed the cup in his hand. He let out a harsh laugh.

"You must think I'm a monster Heero. She obviously is so fearful of pregnancy and there I go possibly forcing it onto her."

Heero kept his eyes closed and remained frozen in place. "I've said this before to Trowa Quatre and I'll say it again to you: There is nothing wrong with acting on your emotions."

"However, I've come to realize even then and now, that you have to be prepared for the repercussions, results, aftereffects—whatever you want to call it."

Quatre had now turned around to face him, slowly making his way back to his chair to listen quietly to his friend's sure voice.

"If Dorothy didn't get pregnant before, there's a good chance she shouldn't be getting pregnant now since you've obviously had sex without a condom on a regular basis. I'm sure she's on the pill or something—is she Quatre?"

Quatre blinked, running a hand through his hair once against absentmindedly. "I'm not sure. You're right, if before, yeah she had to be on something. She should still be on it now," Quatre smiled, looking up at Heero with genuine appreciation in his eyes.

Unfortunately Heero still stood with arms crossed and eyes closed. He finally stood up away from the wall and opened his eyes.

"Thank you Heero," Quatre said sincerely, standing and giving Heero a hug.

Heero stood there awkwardly for moment and then reached one arm around Quatre, gave the friend he always thought of as "the kid" among the group of Gundam pilots, though they were the same age, a firm squeeze around the soldiers and firm pat on the back.

He gently disentangled himself from Quatre and nodded. "Anytime. We all owe you a lot Quatre." And with that Heero turned away and headed for the door, ready to let himself out.

"Heero," Quatre called.

"Yes?" Heero paused with his hand still on the doorknob.

"Do you think…do you think what I did was beyond the mistake of a lie?" Quatre asked, afraid of the answer but needing some type of final reassurance.

"A feeling can't really be condoned or condemned Quatre; it's different from an urge. A feeling is what it is and can only be left to interpretation Quatre. A person like me isn't the one to do that interpreting."

And with that Heero let himself out, closely the door firmly behind him. Quatre closed his eyes, and rubbed his face slowly with one hand.

"What next Quatre Raberba Winner, what next…" he mumbled. The grumbling of his stomach right after that thought sealed the deal in that regard.

* * *

Quatre had decided to let everyone out a little early that day. Soon he'd be announcing a long vacation for just about all in the company to coincide with the ESUN's break. Those who had to be there would only serving short hours to keep the company stable and a few of his sister's would be tying down things for a while.

He arrived home in the late afternoon, the sky still reasonably bright to reflect the season. He greeted his doorman and asked about his day just as he usually did and then let himself inside.

"Dorothy? Are you home?" Quatre called out tentatively.

Rasid soon entered the room and greeted Quatre amiably, helping him with his suitcase and folders.

"How are you Master Quatre? You look a little fatigued."

"Mentally Rasid, mentally. However, there's soon to be a long vacation for us all in the next few weeks. Count on taking off too," Quatre smiled up at his old friend.

Rasid softly smiled in return, satisfied that his young friend was indeed only mentally tired; he assumed most likely from the demands of work. Both Dorothy and Quatre were so happy last night there couldn't be anything wrong today.

As Rasid and Quatre stowed away his things in his study, Quatre looked up at Rasid questioningly.

"Where's Dorothy, Rasid?"

"Your wife is up in your bedroom."

"Thanks Rasid." When they were done organizing a little, Quatre left the study for his bedroom.

He let himself in quietly, calling out Dorothy's name once again. Then he spotted her.

She was draped across the loveseat in their large bedroom's sitting area, a book slipping out of her relaxed grip as she napped.

Quatre smiled and kneeled beside the couch, picking up the book from Dorothy's hands. He glanced at the title and bit back a smile. It read:

"_Mastering Arabic (Beginners)"_

'My darling, beautiful darling,' Quatre thought, moving closer to her sleeping form as he placed down the book. He brushed his lips against her cheek and continued to trace the line of her jaw and finally the curve of her bottom lip with his mouth.

Dorothy laughed huskily at the unexpected feeling, sliding her hands out and into Quatre's hair.

"You're home," she whispered, her eyes still closed. She gently pulled his lips to hers and kissed him softly.

Quatre returned the kiss and picked her up into his arms, carrying her over to their bed. He carefully laid her down and Dorothy snuggled into the ample pillows of their bed.

"Quatre," Dorothy called out softly her eyes flitting open. She smiled slightly, looking up at him with half lidded eyes.

"Nap with me. When we wake up we can watch a movie or something to help us sleep."

Quatre didn't need to be asked twice and took off his restrictive clothing, leaving himself only in his boxers as he climbed into bed with her.

He pulled her into a tender hug, stroking her hair softly as she cuddled just below his chin and into his chest, quickly dozing off all over again.

"God only knows what I'd be without you Dorothy," he whispered into her hair, closing his eyes to hopefully nod off as quickly as she had.

* * *

I wonder if this could be considered a filler chapter? Or is that term I've made up? Oh well. We couldn't leave poor Quatre so miserable for too long, could we? Ah, well is trouble in paradise seemingly over...? Already? Guess! in your _**Reviews**_

_Angel of Mirth _


	11. Take Life As It Comes

**Disclaimer: **I really don't own it! I don't even think the people who do own Gundam Wing would let me do all the evil things I've done with their fragile emotions.

**A/N:** I really really really feel like writing again! And I actually wrote this chapter and could right three more next, no problem, but no, no--not yet! But remember, look in my profile to see where I am with my stories if you like. Enjoy!

* * *

' ' are Thoughts

Italics are Past events

* * *

_**"If It Makes You Happy" **_

_"I find it fascinating that most people plan their vacations with better care than they plan their lives. Perhaps that is because escape is easier than change." _

_

* * *

_"We're done for now Dorothy! Really done! The letter has been sent out, the employees have received their paychecks, and the others have been given their hours and dates. We're home free!" Relena shouted, laughing and hugging herself.

"I can't believe it. This whole week has been a dream," Dorothy mumbled, hugging herself too and looking around the office with new eyes.

"I remember when I first came here; defensive, angry, and reclusive. Now look at me Relena. Really look at me," Dorothy said, smiling at her friend.

"And all this time you've been by my side…Heero…Quatre…our co-workers. I'm so thankful for everything."

Relena pulled Dorothy into a hug. "I know me too. I'm happy you accepted the job here. I don't know what I would have done without you. We've accomplished more in this single year of peace that I think we have since the war ended."

"You've done too much Relena. Well," Dorothy smiled, breaking the hug, "I think I'm going to go home and read up on Arabic, cook again, you know—the usual."

"You've gotten really good Dorothy. That dessert you brought in the other day was delicious," Relena complimented.

Dorothy nodded her thanks. "I'll call you up sometime this week. I need to tell Quatre about this break and perhaps we can go on that vacation finally."

"Oh you haven't told him yet? Well call me if you need help deciding where to go, ecetera. I've had some favorite hot spots you could sneak off to," Relena winked and picked up her briefcase.

"No, I haven't told him yet. I thought it was better to wait after everything was settled and definite. I'll be sure to call you if I need you," Dorothy agreed and picked up her own documents. The two women walked out the door together, the last to leave the office.

As Heero and Relena sped off in Heero's Rolls-Royce Phantom, Relena waved farewell to Dorothy from the passenger's seat. Dorothy waved back and climbed into her own new, dark-olive Jaguar XK180.

She'd bought this one with her own money she had from her job as top advisor. It was not inherited money and Dorothy felt like she was really on her way to breaking away from her past.

Dorothy was proud and absolutely in love with her car. Her next goal was to learn how to manage it on her own in all its aspects--and baby it shamelessly.

Dorothy sped home thinking about the small fib she told Relena.

'What she doesn't know can't hurt her,' Dorothy thought, nonchalant about the whole matter.

'Those problems are over. The baby question is still here, but I feel in time Quatre will understand. Relena wouldn't understand that aspect of my hesitance anyway.'

'She probably can't wait until she's settled enough to have children and be simply fat with happiness. She'd probably even wear one of those awful muumuus,' Dorothy smirked, snorting a little at the thought.

'But she is adorable and deserves only the best. I wonder if she'd ask me to be a God-Mother?' Dorothy mused, finding the thought both comical and horrifying.

Dorothy felt a lot better by the time she parked her "baby" into the small-apartment-sized garage, having the chauffeur spot her to his amusement.

She waved to Iman at the servants' home and unlocked the front door, greeting the doorman cheerfully as she let herself inside.

Dorothy let out a happy sigh. She was coming home a bit later and still a little early, but either way she looked at it, Dorothy saw pure relaxation in her future.

'Well…almost,' Dorothy frowned, not really sure when Trowa would be coming down.

'Will he march in with the full brigade or all by himself? Either way, I can honestly say he has me nervous the most—and I hate it.'

"Hello Miss Dorothy. How was work today?" Rasid asked pleasantly, picking up her briefcase to stowaway in the study.

"Great Rasid. Thank you for asking. I hope you're well also?" Dorothy asked as she flopped down onto the closest of their large front foyer's loveseats.

"Very well Miss Dorothy, very well indeed. I understand you're going on a long break from work?" Rasid asked from the kitchen, bringing Dorothy a cup of lemonade he'd prepared this afternoon.

"Thank you Rasid," Dorothy said, taking the cool glass from his hands gratefully. "You're correct. But how did you know that?"

"Master Quatre told me," Rasid said simply, raising one eyebrow.

'And how did he know?' Dorothy thought quietly, pausing ever so slightly before she spoke.

'Oh well, it's not a problem now really,' Dorothy shrugged. "Oh, I guess word gets out fast, huh?"

"Well we are the ESUN after all, known all throughout the colonies, _of course_ people would know if we were slowing down for a while. He probably heard it at work," Dorothy prattled, speaking more to herself than to Rasid. She was trying to come to some conclusion, hating not being on top of things like she wanted.

"Well, Rasid, you know all the servants will be taking off also. Quatre and I are probably finally going to go on that vacation. It'll most likely even be for an entire month. We'll be back before the circus event, if and when that works out, and our deliberations with the L3 colony."

"Well this is a good day for all of us I suppose. I'll go to the servants' house and spread the news. Farewell for now Miss Dorothy," Rasid replied, heading for the front door.

"Yes Rasid, see you," Dorothy said softly, her thoughts still on solving how Quatre came to know about her trip before she told him.

'Oh well, it doesn't matter now,' Dorothy reminded herself. With those words, Dorothy heard the turning of a key in the door.

"Quatre's home!" Dorothy sang out, jumping to her feet. "Oh and I forgot all about taking something. Oh well, I think we have some leftovers anyway," Dorothy thought aloud, waiting at the door.

Quatre finally got the door open and when he lifted his head he was immediately embraced into a hug by Dorothy.

"Dorothy," Quatre said, his voice a little muffled.

"I have some good news you already know about apparently. I'm off for about four weeks due to delayed deliberations with L3. However, this is on purpose because—"

"You're having a charity event raising circus event," Quatre finished for her as he grinned. He gently broke away from her, laying down his suitcase and loosening the collar of his constricting suit.

Dorothy picked up his suitcase to leave in the study and spoke back to him over her shoulder.

"Yes. What do you think?" Dorothy questioned curiously.

"I think it's fantastic and I think we should choose where we want to go on vacation," Quatre smiled.

"You'll be working with orphaned and destitute children, won't you? Well you know L4 and my company would be more than happy to donate money. The L4 politicians are more than compassionate," Quatre told her as she returned from the study to flop down in the couch again.

"I thought you would. Well we can discuss it on our trip. When Relena and I receive back confirmation letters—which I have no doubt we will—I'll let you know so you can send your offer to help to L3 also. Relena and I will send out the necessary letters to the other colonies already committed to helping out L3."

Quatre sat down beside her by then and hugged her against him. "When you talk like that, you sound like Relena," Quatre grinned.

Dorothy playfully punched him in the arm. "So you're in love with Relena now?" Dorothy asked in mock anger.

"Do I want Heero to murder me?" Quatre grinned, and tickled Dorothy under her ribs lightly.

Dorothy chuckled, pushing him away. "No, I'd be the one that kills you."

Quatre smiled again then his expression became more thoughtful. "Trowa will be coming down any time before that circus event. It's been sometime since I've seen him. I'm looking forward to it."

"Yes…it's nice seeing old friends again," Dorothy agreed and left it at that.

"I have a penchant for English tonight. I must make something from my mother's dear nation. I was looking through recipes the day before and settled on macaroni and cheese," Dorothy grinned.

"Macaroni and cheese? That's a traditional English dish?" Quatre asked a little doubtfully.

"Yep! And I can make it in a half hour too! I'll give you the directions to make this German dessert I dug up too! Mom would be proud," Dorothy said with a smile, already walking off to the kitchen.

"German dessert? Like what?" Quatre asked a little worriedly, following Dorothy into the kitchen.

"I hope we have some dark rum in the house!" Dorothy grinned.

* * *

Dorothy stood half smiling as Relena hugged her one last time at the airport.

"Dorothy, you're so fair, don't forget your sunscreen _please_. Remember that trip we took to Italy…"

Dorothy rolled her eyes. "Mother hen Relena, we were wandering all over the city sightseeing, so of course there weren't any shady trees and the sun doubling back on us from the street didn't help lower the rays we were taking in either."

"We'll be in _New Zealand _Relena. This time of year is winter for them. Even though their kind of having a high season, it'll be seventy degrees tops, but more likely in the sixties, so I'll be fine."

"Don't let cool temperatures fool you," Relena warned them and smiled at her. Dorothy gave her an exasperated look back. Relena gave Quatre a hug before stepping back and looking them both over once more.

Heero shared a nod with the both of them. "Have a safe trip and enjoy yourselves. If anyone deserves a vacation, it's you two workaholics."

"Look who's talking," Quatre grinned and Heero granted him a soft smile.

"You two look like the ideal couple as usual. Have fun!" Relena grinned, waving as they picked up their luggage and move towards the gate for their flight.

"Have fun in Fiji. We'll be right below you guys on the map if you need us," Quatre grinned and Dorothy waved back before turning around towards the doors.

Dorothy and Quatre had decided to go to New Zealand as they'd stayed up together after dinner that night to decide on a trip. They wanted to get out as soon as possible so they'd booked that night for a first-class, roundtrip flight the next morning on Saturday. It was a two day flight, made last minute, but neither cared as money was not a problem. They'd still be arriving that Monday morning just as they wanted.

They would be going to Zealand's Hauraki Gulf, off of Auckland, New Zealand. They'd gone through a lot of luxury destinations in their search, but the deal breaker for New Zealand was the option of cooking classes in a gigantic and contemporary kitchen. The couple knew they would enjoy cooking foods they had never even heard of before, _and _it was just a greater way for the couple to connect.

They decided to take a Longhouse on Waiheke Island, a hybrid of a bed and breakfast and a lodge. Their accommodations would be modern, and their Longhouse built around a beautiful courtyard. It was a spacious lodging in an intimate location. It also gave them the chance to experience a vast number of water activities and explore a beautiful, ninety-mile coastline, more than seventy-six islands, and over two-hundred sheltered anchorages.

In short, it was perfect.

When Dorothy and Quatre arrived, they were immediately helped and everyone was beyond welcoming. Something they were used to being two of the most influential people among the colonies.

"I can't believe I'm really here," Dorothy said in amazement, trying to capture as much of the tropical paradise with her eyes as she possibly could.

"Earth is so very beautiful it's incredible," Quatre sighed as they strolled into their longhouse.

"I'm glad everything is on one single floor," Quatre observed.

"Me too. I can't wait to have those lessons," Dorothy smiled, thanking and tipping the help with hundred dollar bills. They thanked them most kindly and left, the two lovebirds left to themselves.

"I can't wait to start exploring everything," Dorothy went on excitedly. "What should we do in our first week?"

"Today, we could go on a vineyard exploration. I mapped out a few ideas, and I thought after that, we could go sightseeing and have dinner. I'm still suffering from some jet lag to do too much today," Quatre yawned, slipping a hand into Dorothy's to lead her towards their room.

"Me too actually. Let's power nap and then shower and get a map out and go. I'm so excited—and to think I'm doing it all with the love of my life," Dorothy smiled as Quatre pulled her close to him and kissed her lips slowly. Dorothy returned his kiss happily, entwining her fingers into his.

"It's almost too perfect Dorothy," Quatre murmured for a moment. "Let's see the room now and not unpack. We'll do that when we have to."

* * *

Their first day was wonderful and everything only seemed to progress more beautifully each and every day. They went to visit a different vineyard the next day and bought a bottle of wine. They took advantage of the snorkeling equipment that morning beforehand, and after another tour, they went back into the market place to shop.

By the end of the week, the two had explored only five of the almost one hundred beaches, snorkeled off of two of them, visited the historic gold mines, dingy sailed, and went whale watching one day and dolphin watching the next at the Bay of Islands, even being allow to swim with the dolphins.

They'd rented an off-road vehicle, luxury car, and sports car to use throughout their travels sightseeing, shopping, and reminiscing about other trips and comparing it to the wonders of now.

They came back to the longhouse at about 7:30 one evening, after spending the day kayaking, eating, and visiting the Hahei Marine Reserve. They both still had some energy left even after all of that as they drove back after having dinner in one of the many eateries.

When they entered the longhouse, Dorothy retied her hair into its braided bun. Quatre brought her back a drink from the kitchen, the two settling down on the stools in the massive space.

They took their drinks outside and sat on one of the woven mats, just appreciating the beauty and quiet of the evening in the courtyard. They had to change into warmer clothing in the cool night, but were still reasonably comfortable.

"I'm really looking forward to those cooking lessons on Monday. What a great way to start the second week of our vacation. Ah, and I think I received the confirmation letter," Dorothy said, slowly unloosening her braid as she leaned back against the nearby tree with Quatre.

"I'm really looking forward to that too. You can send out the letter tomorrow. Right now I'd rather just sit here with you," Quatre smiled, looking at Dorothy who's eyes were mesmerized with the stars above them.

"Let's take a night swim Quatre. I know it's cold, but we can just run in and out. It'll be fun," Dorothy smiled wickedly, standing up and grabbing his hand before she could get an answer.

Quatre hurried with her to get his swim trunks, coming back outside and hugging himself in the cold evening with just a fur robe around him.

Dorothy looked to be perfectly fine in her deep blue, one piece and she threw off her own robe and grabbed Quatre's hand. "Come on!" Dorothy laughed and they rushed towards the surf.

They both screamed as the cool waters touched their skin when they dove in. Dorothy let go of Quatre's hand and dove underneath the seawater once, soon popping her head out above the surface once again, Quatre watching her with chattering teeth and barely managing to wade water with his cold limbs.

"Let's go back now!" Dorothy yelled to be heard among the breaking surf and the two swam the short way they'd come and ran out of the freezing waters back into the house.

Dorothy giggled, her teeth chattering and goose bumps all over her skin. Quatre looked even worse than she did, used to warm climates even more than she was.

"Oh god Dorothy, you're crazy," Quatre smiled shakily, his teeth still chattering as he put on his robe and brought hers over.

Dorothy smiled and laughed. "But it was great wasn't it? Did you like it?"

Quatre gave her feigned look of disbelief first and then finally smiled at her. "I did. Let's have a warm drin—Dorothy are you ok?"

A look of distress had come over Dorothy's face and she held a hand to her stomach. "I feel…sick," Dorothy mumbled before darting off to the bathroom.

Quatre ran after her and held her hair back as she vomited into the toilet. All the seafood they'd eaten that evening came up and by the time Dorothy had finished she was kneeling and dry coughing.

"Dorothy," Quatre said softly, hugging her gently to him and massaging up and down her arms and over her stomach.

"Quatre, let me rinse my mouth out. Maybe that swim wasn't such a good idea after all," Dorothy chuckled softly. "I might have swallowed a parasite."

"Well, we'll go to the doctor first thing in the morning and get you all checked out," Quatre promised, letting her stand up and go to the sink.

"I think I'm done vomiting for the night anyway. I feel a lot better," Dorothy said before rinsing her mouth out. "I think I'll brush my teeth too. Could you make me a cup of mint tea Quatre? I think that would help also."

"Alright," Quatre agreed and left for the kitchen to make her tea.

* * *

Quatre came back to pick Dorothy up from the doctor's as she'd asked if he could go pick up some dry crackers, ginger ale, and more tea to help with any nausea that might come again while she was examined.

Dorothy was waiting outside of the doctor's office when he came. She looked a little pale from far away and distracted.

"Everything turn out okay?" Quatre asked, jarring Dorothy out of her trance. Dorothy looked up at him blankly for a moment and then smiled slightly, taking the island flowers he'd gotten her as a surprise.

"Do you like them?" Quatre smiled, pulling her into a one-armed embrace and walking with her slowly out of the building to their car.

"They're beautiful. They smell gorgeous," Dorothy said a bit lifelessly.

Dorothy mechanically climbed into the passenger's side and Quatre glanced at her as he pulled out of the hospital's parking lot, a bit more worried now.

"Dorothy? What's wrong? What did the doctor say?" Quatre pressed, slipping his right hand over Dorothy's. She felt cool to the touch and had not moved from her ramrod-straight position staring out of the windshield.

"When we get home Quatre, when we get home," Dorothy said quickly and stiffly patted his hand reassuringly, but Quatre didn't feel reassured at all. In fact, he felt all the more worried, but he decided to compromise.

"Okay," he agreed without further comment.

Quatre pulled in at their temporary home and hopped out to open the passenger's side door for Dorothy. She allowed him to help her out of the raised utility vehicle and docilely followed him inside.

Dorothy left him to sit down in the living room. After putting some water to boil on the stove, Quatre joined her, sitting close to her and taking her hand into both his own once again.

"Please tell me what is wrong Dorothy. Are you…are you sick?" Quatre asked fearfully.

Dorothy remained hunched over, staring at the floor and shook her head slowly.

"Then what is it Dorothy? Tell me please," Quatre pressed on, squeezing her hand gently.

"I'm pregnant," Dorothy said barely above a whisper.

"What? Dorothy please—" Quatre asked but Dorothy violently cut him off.

She snatched her hand away and leapt to her feet, her expression changing rapidly. Her arms lay weakly at her sides at first, and she looked at Quatre with a helpless expression of sadness and betrayal.

Then just as suddenly, she clenched her hands into fists and looked back at his baffled expression with fury.

"You tricked me! You sneaky bastard, you tricked me! I should have known you never wore the condom that night! It felt the same! _The same_! I came off the pill! I ran out! I forgot to take it!" Dorothy yelled at him in a tirade.

"Dorothy! No! I wore it! But I…I took it off! I'm sorry! I don't know what came over me!" Quatre answered back helplessly.

Dorothy ran right out of the room and towards their temporary bedroom. Quatre ran after her and called out her name but she refused to answer him. He stopped in the doorway and watched as Dorothy snatched her clothes from the closet as well as the rest of her possessions, ripped open her suitcases, and began randomly throwing objects within.

"Dorothy, no! Don't go! Don't leave! Please! Let's talk about this!" Quatre asked powerlessly.

Dorothy said nothing, instead her expression set in a determined mask of inflexibility.

"How dare you ask anything of me!" Dorothy yelled, already almost finished throwing everything inside. She threw one of her shoes at him and Quatre ducked.

"Dorothy please—" Quatre asked again weakly.

"Get out of this room! Now!" Dorothy screamed, running towards the doorway.

Quatre quickly exited the premises and and watched her slam the door in his face. Soon after he heard her lock the door securely.

Quatre placed his head in his hands and leaned against the wall, a choked sob escaping his lips.

"What have you done Quatre Raberba Winner, what have you done? I just knew everything was too good to be true!" Quatre cried out, feeling the pain of his loss right down to his heart.

* * *

Quatre slept on the couch that night and Dorothy remained in the bedroom.

Quatre fluttered his eyes as he heard movement and saw the sweeping curtain of long blonde hair.

"Dorothy? Dorothy where are you—" Quatre asked in confusion, sleep still heavily clouding his senses.

"I'm_ leaving_ this pipe dream, you snake! I wish I'd never met you!" Dorothy yelled, whirling on him. She'd already called a couple of the many workers on the grounds to help her with her bags and she was soon out the door and briskly walking towards the rented sports car.

Quatre jumped to his feet and ran to the door. He stared after her, filled with the deepest sadness.

'No! I can't let it end like this!' Quatre thought frantically, and ran down to the road to stop her.

He reached her within a few seconds and grabbed her arm breathlessly.

"Dorothy! Wait! We can't end it like this! We need to—"

Dorothy reeled on him as quick as lightning, and just as swiftly brought her free hand up to slap him soundly across the cheek. Quatre's head whipped sideways and he let go of her immediately.

"Don't touch me," Dorothy said coldly and Quatre held his cheek like a wound, looking at her with heart wrenching grief.

"Toss them into the back! Lock the doors please! Here's your tip! Split it!" Dorothy handed the men who had helped her with her bags a thousand dollar bill and climbed into the drivers' side, slamming the door shut and locking the rest of the doors.

The men who had assisted her, waved readily after her, shouting thank you with blissfully happy expressions on their faces.

Quatre still held his cheek where she had slapped him and stared after the vehicle speeding away from him, speeding away out of his life with his wife and his lover. His expression contrasted sharply with those of the aides...an expression of absolute, unreserved sorrow.

He stood there for a full fifteen minutes even after she'd gone, not giving a damn how course and disheveled he appeared in the morning sunlight.

The help had long ago left, but Quatre remained on the beach alone, feeling more alone than he ever had during the entire war in the deafening quiet of space.

* * *

I enjoyed writing this thoroughly. Was anyone looking forward to this? Anyone feel like going to New Zealand now? **Review **darlings and let me know.

_Angel of Mirth _


	12. Set Myself On Fire, Fly Away Free

**Disclaimer: **I don't own it; _it _being Gundam Wing and all it's characters, and plotline, and pretty colors.**  
**

**A/N:** I enjoyed writing this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing the last. I also like everyone's reviews and have considered all of your opinions and loved all of your encouragement. It really motivated me to update quickly. Please enjoy.

* * *

' ' are Thoughts

Italics are Past events

* * *

_**"If It Makes You Happy" **_

_"Love, like fire, cannot subsist without constant impulse; it ceases to live from the moment it ceases to hope or to fear."_

_

* * *

_Dorothy had called for a flight back home as soon as she checked into a hotel in Auckland, New Zealand **away** from Quatre.

She took a sleeping pill in spite of everything, knowing there could be no other possible way for her to fall asleep. She boarded her flight the next morning without a hitch, once again settling into a first class, last minute flight, this time one way, **away** from New Zealand instead of towards it.

As she sat in the quiet solitude of the plane, all the thoughts she had forced out of her mind up until then came flooding back to her.

'I can't stay in the same house with him. I just can't,' Dorothy thought, absolutely certain about that fact. She took out her cell phone and quickly dialed Relena's number.

Relena was laughing as she answered Dorothy's call. "Hello?"

"Relena," Dorothy said immediately.

"Hey, uh, Dorothy, what's up?" Relena asked in surprise.

"I need to stay at your place for a while," Dorothy replied.

"Wha-what? What do you mean Dorothy? Right now? But you're in New Zea—" Relena began in confusion.

"Not anymore," Dorothy answered curtly, interrupting her. "So can I stay at your home for a while until you get back?"

"Why Dorothy? What happened? Why aren't you in New Zealand anymore?" Relena asked.

"I'll tell you when you come back home. Please grant me this request Relena," Dorothy asked, urgency creeping into her voice.

"I'd rather not be alone at the Dermail mansion. You know how depressing that place looks."

"Dorothy, I need you to tell me why first," Relena said with a little more command in her voice.

"I'm pregnant Relena."

"What? Pregnant? That's—"

"Horrible," Dorothy said expressionlessly, cutting her off.

"Horrible?" Relena said in utter disbelief. "Alright Dorothy—stay at the house. I'm coming home with Heero right away."

"No; don't ruin your vacation because of me Relena. That's the last thing that I would want," Dorothy pleaded with her. "I'll be fine."

"You don't sound fine Dorothy; I know you. You're putting up this mock-brave font, when you're really just creeping back into a cold mask, but I won't let you Dorothy. Deep down inside, underneath the façade, you _are _frightened Dorothy…and I'm going to be there **with** you and **for** you."

"Fine," Dorothy relented. "But you're wrong…I'm not…I'm not afraid," Dorothy protested, speaking more like she was settling her own suspicions instead of arguing against Relena's.

"Whatever you say Dorothy. See you in a few days," Relena said before hanging up.

"Heero, why are you staring at me like that? Heero, Dorothy is more important than any vacation. We have the money to go on another one any time we—"

Heero cut her off before she became fully upset. "No it's not that Relena. I heard apart of your conversation and I have something to tell you."

Heero told her about the day at the restaurant and why he had to leave. He told her what Quatre had said about all that had happened between he and Dorothy the last few months. He next told her how he had reacted towards Quatre and then waited, allowing Relena to react.

"Oh Heero! You should have told me! Dorothy was so happy that day! So happy! Who would have known?" Relena said helplessly, not really mad at him, but more saddened by the entire affair.

"I'll call for our flight back home," Heero replied in a resigned tone, leaving Relena to her thoughts and knowing there would be a lot more they would need to be doing for Dorothy quite soon.

* * *

"We are creatures of circumstance," Relena said sadly, holding the emotionally weakened woman in her arms.

Dorothy had arrived a day before Relena and Heero and had used the key they'd given her to enter the house. Heero managed to miraculously program the extensive alarm system to disengage from his laptop while still on the airplane.

Dorothy had holed herself up in a guest bedroom ever since.

Heero was making them tea and toast as Relena sat on Dorothy's bed up in the guest bedroom. She held Dorothy's head in her lap like a sick child—and Dorothy _was_ sick…heartsick.

She'd been lying in bed all day, only getting up when she had to throw up and to refill her cup of ice chips. Her hair was undone and tangled; she had dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep, made ever the more obvious by her blotchily tanned skin…pale in some areas, and pinked by slight sunburn in others.

She had filled in the gaps for Relena in Quatre's story and told her about the night she got pregnant unemotionally. Relena had let her talk and had only listened, gently stroking her hair away from her eyes every few moments to help her relax.

The peaceful nature of Relena helped Dorothy considerably. Dorothy knew then, if she'd ever doubted the fact before, why people trusted her so much to lead them through the most trying calamities.

"Dorothy, you need to eat. After Heero makes us this toast and I get you all cleaned up, we're all going to lunch and then shopping."

"I'm not hungry. I don't want clothes. I don't need clothes," Dorothy responded dispassionately.

"Dorothy, I have to ask this question. Do you or do you not want this baby Dorothy?" Relena asked point blank, a question Relena was afraid to ask but had to know.

"I don't know. I don't think I do," Dorothy responded with uncertainty.

"Why don't you want a baby Dorothy?" Relena asked her, once again going to the point.

For a few moments, there was silence and then a knock on the door.

"Can I come in?" Heero asked through the door.

"Yes, Heero—come in," Relena responded.

"I need you to open the door for me," Heero said.

"Oh! Sorry!" Relena blushed, gently letting go of Dorothy and opening the door. Heero walked in balancing tea and toast on a serving plate and Relena helped him set it down on the nearby desk.

"Later," Heero said shortly and left the room.

"Here Dorothy. You need to eat this," Relena commanded, sitting down beside the bed and pouring out a cup of tea.

"I told you _I'm not hungry_ Relena," Dorothy responded with some agitation.

"And I'm telling _you_, **you need to eat**," Relena demanded, now holding up both the toast and tea to her face.

Dorothy sighed and made herself sit up, reluctantly taking the food out of Relena's hands.

Relena beamed and poured herself a cup of tea also, blowing it till it cooled for her.

"Dorothy…" Relena asked more soothingly this time. "Why don't you want this baby?"

Dorothy was once again very quiet.

"Relena…this is difficult for me to say," Dorothy replied slowly, stirring the hot brown liquid within her cup. Her eyes focused on the toast she'd taken from Relena, but had not yet eaten. The lightly buttered toast lay cooling idly on her small saucer.

_Clink, clink, clink_

"Dorothy?" Relena asked softly, forcing herself to keep her hands in her lap. Her eyes were only full of concern and sympathy for her best friend, her only goal to listen and help in the best way she could.

_Clink…Clink…_

_Clink._

"I have a disease Relena…and that disease is called perfection," Dorothy began finally, her hand and eyes frozen at her declaration. She was suddenly very much interested with the designs on the handle of her spoon.

"What do you…mean?" Relena asked in a whisper, her mystification only growing it seemed.

"I'm not a mother Relena. I don't have maternal instincts. I am _my_ mother—cold, calculating, spiteful, and selfish."

"Dorothy!" Relena cried, absolutely aghast that Dorothy even _entertained_ such low thoughts about herself. She took Dorothy's hands firmly in her own and shook them lightly.

"Dorothy, _look at me_," Relena demanded. Dorothy could not defy the voice that had led millions to dare to hope. She looked up into Relena's expressive gaze.

She saw anger—anger at Dorothy for not loving herself as much as Relena loved her.

'It's sad really,' Dorothy thought bitterly. 'I still can't let go.'

"Dorothy, don't **ever** think that about yourself…because it isn't true!" Relena commanded passionately.

"I won't have you saying or thinking such things about yourself! This ends now! Do you realize how much you've done for the colonies up to this point? What we're about to do for L3?" Relena questioned relentlessly.

"I understand all that Relena," Dorothy sighed, "but the thing is—those two things aren't the same thing."

"I'm talking about raising a child here Relena. Another human being filled with half of my genes and half of my…husband's—my and his own flesh and blood. I _know_ myself Relena. _He'd_ never forgive me and _I'd_ never forgive myself for ruining another's life."

"Relena, let _me _ask _you _a question now. Have you ever heard of the term "alpha mom"?"

Relena frowned in confusion and shook her head. "No, I don't think I have."

"Well, in the alpha mom's world she loves control…absolute control over each and every day and each and every person. This is typically a woman who is fiercely independent; she's carved a nice career out for herself and now she's—pregnant."

"She panics at the day of her child's birth, _not _because she fears the pain of labor, or she is anxious to make sure the bag she and Dad put together months before to help "Mom" on the drive to the hospital might be forgotten, but at the fear of losing that absolute control of deciding when something will occur--when that baby will be born."

"She doesn't live off of instincts; she lives off research and study and becoming a mother is something that…cannot be studied. She feels totally unprepared; the child is demanding, and demanding _she _to be ready whether or not she is on _her_ own terms, and she panics...and brings in an army of people she can hire to do the job of mothering for her."

"And do you know why she trusts all these strangers Relena and yet not herself?" Dorothy asked her calmly.

"No," Relena said again, still listening attentively.

"This is because she doesn't _want_ to do the parenting. This is an individual who has the money _not_ to compromise and that's what motherhood is all about."

"So what does she do? She doesn't nurture, she overcompensates—over-corrects flaws that can't be fixed because she was not willing to fix them beforehand in the first place."

"The bottom line is…in her heart of hearts, she does not want the child. _Now_ the poor child in question is going to suffer because she was in denial…She didn't realize that in the end, her professional life was more important to her than family."

"She is a pretend Mom…a Mom using a bunch of nannies to raise her son or daughter without being directly involved."

"Relena, when anyone has a baby their priorities change; they_ must_ change. It's a time of sacrifice and that baby should be number one. When each of their needs come in conflict, who will be the one who loses? Mom was selfish to begin with Relena."

"When you bite off more than you can chew, you're going to choke Relena. You're going to choke _big time_."

"You can't run your child like a company Relena. They are not a product; you can't have absolute control. And if all she knows is functions without feelings, how will she be able to answer the ultimate call of emotions? Compassions? Loves?"

"She'll decide when the baby needs her, not the other way around. And that…that was my mother Relena. And like I said before, **I am my mother**."

"She was afraid of losing her identity to me. She didn't want to seem old, so she didn't bring me to anything social. She didn't want to be "little Dorothy's mom," so she made me call her by her first name."

"I was a means to extending her hold onto this earth. I was a project she could mold to correct any flaws she saw in herself. And that's why I think parenting is very selfish Relena," Dorothy said softly, tears coming to her eyes, "very selfish indeed. I-I refuse to be a parent selfishly living through my child!" Dorothy cried out fiercely.

"I am a perfectionist control _freak_!" Dorothy yelled, covering her face in her hands. The tears silently came down her face and Dorothy's entire body shook with emotion.

Relena gathered the weeping woman into her arms once again, gently rubbing her back to soothe her.

"Sssh now Dorothy. Dorothy, you read too much. You worry more than me Dorothy. I don't know what you've been reading, but you're wrong."

"Wha-what?" Dorothy said softly, lifting her head to look Relena in the eyes.

"Dorothy, you're _not _your mother. Your mother never gave a damn about how, when you came into this world, she might be neglectful, selfish, and living through you because of her lifestyle."

"Look at you Dorothy!" Relena smiled. "You're worrying even now! You found out how long ago you were pregnant? Three days?"

"But I'm looking at this child as a task! A task interrupting my journey up the ladder of success in my career! I'm impersonal and cold!" Dorothy protested.

"Oh Dorothy, will you find _any_ way to flaw yourself?" Relena sighed, smiling wryly.

"You're afraid again Dorothy. You don't want Quatre to resent you just like you said before, nor do you want this child to either. Whoever that "alpha mom" was that started this just tried to "raise the bar" of mothering. But who says she's right?"

"No one's perfect Dorothy. This whoever was trying to _make_ everything perfect. It's too bad she never had someone like me to sit her down and tell her that that's impossible and you'll only make yourself stir crazy trying," Relena grinned.

"Sure, any woman will panic when their child gets their first cold, their first cut, or lose their first tooth. They'll be afraid their child is dying, will never heal as good as new again, or their teeth or falling out. But that's _normal_."

"However, what _isn't_ normal is having a nervous breakdown if you can't have your power lunch when you want it because junior wants to eat first," Relena said, rolling her eyes.

"I _can _understand this person's need **not **to lose herself, or even your mother's, but the little things like not being able to read that book just yet, or maybe not even getting a shower in for that day, are _not_ worth panicking over. _That's_ just being a spoiled adult. _No one_ gets what they want all the time, when they want it."

"You _can't _drop everything. I know you can't Dorothy. You love your job too much and hey, I need you too. But another difference between this lady and you is you're in a _caring_ profession. She seems like she was sitting high and mighty in the corporate world—a cut throat environment."

"I guess you and I can't be the typical moms Dorothy, and Quatre and Heero _most certainly_ can't be the typical Dads," Relena grinned as Dorothy chuckled, nodding her agreement.

"We're too important to the world and too needed by everyone in the colonies. So we have to realize that and make do. We can't be the typical mom but we **can** be the best we can be considering the circumstances."

"We wouldn't be satisfied raising our children using the best resources "money can buy" to be cliché. We want to be there every step of the way where it counts," Relena said more seriously.

"And remember, kids can't be given everything anyway," Relena smirked, "they must be taught a few things along the way just like you and I. We're all going to be teaching and learning here Dorothy…all of us."

"I see what you mean Relena," Dorothy said softly, a shaky smile coming to her face.

"I'm just really insecure Relena. I guess I'm not as strong as I thought I was. It has only been a little over a year since all this good has come to me. I need to grow strong emotionally. And with some time, because I know I have quite a lot of that before I have to make any big decisions, we'll see what happens."

"But, I still need to think about this like I said. I need to see if I have the maternal instincts you obviously do. My career is still very much important to me. But you know, I don't think that woman had quite the same caliber of people around her that I have."

"Relena, when you become a mother, you'll be the best at that too just like everything else," Dorothy grinned.

Relena winked. "I wouldn't say that. Didn't you say I've gotten worse ever since a certain Heero Yuy came back into my life?"

* * *

Relena relented and let Dorothy leave the toast and tea. She left the room to allow Dorothy to shower and get dressed for some shopping.

As the two girls were getting dressed, Heero decided to call Quatre's house. Just as he expected, Quatre snatched up the phone and his face appeared on Heero's vid-phone.

"Hello Quatre. I thought you'd be back."

"Hello Heero," Quatre said, trying to smile like usual but failing miserably.

"How are you?" he asked.

"I should ask you that," Heero replied, raising one eyebrow expectantly.

"I'm-I'm a mess Heero. I can't believe I—" Quatre said, his voice choking with emotion.

"You don't need to apologize to me nor say anything I already know. I called to let you know Dorothy came to stay with us for a while. She insisted on it and Relena decided we all needed to come home," Heero broke in, knowing that he telling Quatre this was probably something Dorothy would be mad at him for. But Quatre wasn't that dense and he would have come over to visit or would have called eventually anyway.

"Dorothy's there? Really?" Quatre said hopefully, a thoughtful expression coming over his face. He sounded just like that time so long ago when Trowa told him Dorothy was at Relena's Valentine's Day dance.

"I thought she would have left the colony or something and hid herself away," Quatre said more to himself than to Heero, a weak laugh escaping his lips.

"Well I...well what do you think I should do?" Quatre asked, looking at Heero directly once again.

Heero shrugged. "Do what you like with that information. I just thought that you should know. Even if Relena and Dorothy might each give me a talking to. Well, I have to go get ready for some shopping Relena is forcing me into once again."

"We'll be at the one we always go to in town. Dorothy's coming along too. Do what you want with that information too Quatre," Heero said, hanging up without waiting for a question or comment.

Quatre watched Heero's face disappear and leaned back in his chair in the study. He propped his chin in his hands, thinking seriously about what he should do.

"Should I stay or should I go? That is the question…"

* * *

"You look nice Dorothy," Relena complimented as she and Heero turned to look at her from the front door.

"Thank you," Dorothy smiled slightly. "Your car or mine?" Dorothy asked innocently, kind of looking forward to hopefully taking her Jag out.

Dorothy did indeed look nice; she cleaned up well. She had on a cream-colored eyelet tube top. It wrapped around her torso loosely in two pieces, creating the shape of an X. There were two bright blue buttons in the middle to keep it snug. For once, Dorothy had on just simple pair of sky-blue, wide leg jeans, low on the waist like she preferred.

She had on a pair of pretty light brown, ankle wrap sandals to match the brown stretch-tie she had in her hair.

She had put her hair up in a high ponytail to help it dry. After in her disgust over not taking care of herself for so many days, she had washed and combed her hair, letting her naturally long, straight hair just air dry so they could leave faster.

She looked like a simple sixteen-year old girl instead of a twenty-two year old woman. The scrubbing she had given her face to wake up left her face lightly flushed. She looked lovely and much more alive than before. Relena dared to think she even looked considerably happier.

Relena looked quite cute herself, wearing a pale green caftan, the hem embroidered with dark-red roses. The sleeves were loose and billowy, as well as the dress, so Relena had a wide brown belt around her waist to loosely bring it together at her hips. She wore simple, bright yellow and spongy thong sandals to complete the look and had on just her engagement ring and emerald earrings as accessories.

"I think we'll take your car," Relena grinned. "Can I drive? Pretty please Dorothy?" Relena begged, knowing just how much Dorothy loved her car. "Heero never let's me drive!"

"For good reason too," Heero mumbled, rolling his eyes. Relena glared at him then turned back to Dorothy with a puppy-dog face.

"Pleeaaaasse?"

"Alright, alright! But if you get so much as a _scratch_ on it Relena, you'd better run to Heero for protection," Dorothy smirked.

Heero shrugged. "If she gets herself into it, she can get herself—" but Relena cut him off with a punch to the shoulder.

They all climbed into Dorothy's concept car a little while later, the two girls forcing Heero into the back, much to his relief.

Relena was worse than Dorothy ever imagined. Dorothy liked to drive fast, but Relena was absolutely _blazing_. She was giddy at the chance to drive a beautiful as well as a fast car, and especially excited with the chance to drive at all.

She weaved in and out of traffic on the highway, switching lanes like a pro. Dorothy begged Relena to slow down and she finally did when she saw one driver who had been doing the same thing up ahead of her pulled over on the side of the road by the police.

They arrived surprisingly without breaking their necks and Dorothy finally began to breathe normally again when they were safely in one of the many boutique shops on the high class shopping district.

Relena had her own hair in a low braid for a fresh hairstyle like Dorothy, and the two women wore shades to appear a little less noticeable in their different, low key look. No one really bothered Heero as they just considered the infamous security guru to be doing a protection job on the side.

Relena pulled Dorothy from store to store and Dorothy's interest was surprisingly peaked more than she thought it would be with Relena's tastes.

Relena picked out some things for Heero and she actually did a pretty good job matching Heero's tastes. Today he wore something that Relena had bought him on a whim. Heero had on long khaki shorts, and a plain cerulean-blue collared shirt. On his feet he had on brown loafers.

The suit that Heero had worn at the Valentine's Day dance came to mind and Dorothy wasn't as surprised that Relena wasn't fighting Heero tooth and nail for _all_ the articles of clothing she picked up.

They finally came to pass a favorite store of Quatre's and Dorothy stared at it longer than she wanted to.

Relena saw the look of longing in Dorothy's eyes and followed her gaze. She watched as Dorothy forcibly shook herself out of her daydream and scowled instead.

"Hey! Quatre!" Relena shouted suddenly, waving and smiling at the person Dorothy had been staring at in the familiar store. A blond haired man turned around in surprise. Relena knew she recognized those messy blond bangs and continued to smile and wave regardless.

Dorothy locked her blue-gray eyes with the blue-green gaze of her husband's. The look in Dorothy's eyes was hidden from Quatre's behind her dark sunglasses, but she could see on his face a look of apprehension and deep yearning. Time seemed to stop for the both of them for those few moments of recognition and unease.

Heero watched the both of them, shaking his head at Relena's recklessness for a moment and then shrugging, knowing a meeting between these two star-crossed lovers was inevitable indeed.

* * *

You can't avoid your fate for long, can you? Oh yes, and that "alpha mom" psychobbable was based on a real article on this apparent new level of parenting in the New York Metro. Dorothy has such complex thinking, doesn't she? Too bad she over-thinks sometimes. I can understand her perfectionism fears though. I used to be a terribly little perfectionist myself! I still am in some ways but I learn--it's okay to make mistakes kids!

_Angel of Mirth _


	13. Life Is What We Make It

**Disclaimer: **I couldn't beat the true creators and owners of Gundam Wing in Mario Kart, so hence I don't own it! -scowl!- I don't own Mario Kart either by the way hehe. **  
**

**A/N:** I actually would have gotten this about probably two days ago, but the final "scene" I was writing apparently didn't save -grumbles-. I was so upset! I couldn't bring myself to write. Well I finally did, but -sigh- it's never as good as the first, right?

Oh yes, in answer to your questions first f U n N i E b O n E s 2k, sap is almost **mandatory **between Quatre and Dorothy hehe. Can anything be easy between Dorothy and Quatre? The answer for me personally, is no--but that makes it all the more interesting I think. There will be a different kind of "cat and mouse" and there's a few things people may have forgotten that still need to be taken care of -grins-.

Anywho, well I have the energy to write because I don't sleep! And well, I have to get these ideas out of my head. I fear forgetting them. And I do other crap all day so writing is relaxing and it allows me to babble on without feeling guilty. And finally, Skydancer1 we'll just have to wait and see! Happy endings make everyone happy, but we'll have to see if it actually -fits-. And it's "if it makes _you_ happy" right?--Whoever** you **is. Alright, vamoose!

* * *

' ' are Thoughts

Italics are Past events

* * *

_**"If It Makes You Happy" **_

_"Amoris vulnus idem sanat, qui facit." ("The wounds of love can only be healed by the one who made them.")_

_

* * *

_"It is really unfortunate we did not come in separate cars," Dorothy stated, her voice purposely loud and clear above the din of the other shoppers. Her tone indicated the most poignant dismay, as if this incident was the most horrifying fate that had ever fallen upon her in all of her existence.

She successfully interrupted the tense silence emitting from she, Quatre, and Heero and momentarily jarred Relena out of her all-too-happy state.

'It's only been three days Relena…what did you expect to happen? You force his presence onto me and I go rushing into his arms? She probably intentionally called him here beforehand. Well **she**_ and_ Quatre can think again.'

Relena ignored Dorothy's scathing comment and walked over to Quatre with a dazzling smile on her face. She took his hand into her own and walked him back to where Dorothy and Heero stood by on the busy street.

Quatre's expression was both nervous and remorseful, as if wished he had decided not to show after all.

'Serves you right _darling_,' Dorothy scowled, keeping her eyes trained on Quatre every step of the way.

He tried to hold Dorothy's gaze but had to finally look away. He was couldn't endure the mystery held behind those dark and inscrutable shades, successfully hiding Dorothy's emotions even more from him.

"Don't be shy Quatre! Don't be a stranger to your own friends!" Relena teased, somehow managing to laugh as if nothing were wrong. She snuck an anxious look at Heero and in one look he repeated the words he'd voiced earlier: _If you've got yourself into this, you can get yourself out of this._

Relena inwardly sighed, knowing she'd receive no help from her chestnut-haired lover. She was sure he didn't want to become a target for Dorothy's wrath also; he probably thought she shouldn't have called Quatre over after all either.

'But the sooner they make up the sooner they can start to heal…' Relena thought logically, trying to defend her own actions.

"Well I think we've done enough shopping for now, don't you think so?" Relena began cheerfully, looking at Dorothy who was picking at her nails and examining her watch detachedly.

Heero shrugged noncommittally. "I agree. I think my arms deserve a break anyway," he added, as he'd been the one forced to carry all the bags so far.

"Oh, you're a Gundam pilot, remember? I think we should all go have lunch!" Relena said a little **too** enthusiastically.

"Alright," Quatre agreed, speaking his first word since he'd joined the trio. Relena was still gripping his wrist in her hand; it felt like she didn't want to let go of the only neutral party that could support her in her efforts to fix things.

Dorothy raised her head slightly and shrugged, seeming for moment like a female version of Heero Yuy in her indifferent calm.

"If you say so…because whatever you want to happen, happens; right Relena?" Dorothy said sweetly, but Relena was not clueless and caught her meaning quite easily.

"Well it just seems to be a lot better than standing here," Relena said easily, ignoring Dorothy's comment.

"Anyway, I know a sweet and fairly private restaurant a little ways up from here. So if it's okay with_ you_ Dorothy, I'll do the driving and you," Relena smiled warmly, looking at Quatre reassuringly, "can follow."

"Oh no Relena, whatever makes_ you_ happy," Dorothy said with exaggerated grandeur and obvious sarcasm, already turning away to walk towards the parking lot.

"I'll follow Relena. That's a great idea," Quatre replied, forcing some cheer into his voice. He gently pried his wrist out of Relena's grip.

"I'll see you, uh, in the parking lot. My car is 1965 AC Cobra Replica—it's a classic sports car. You'll be able to tell it apart quite easily—bright maroon," Quatre prattled on unnecessarily, sorry to leave Relena alone with such a dismal and pensive look on her face as she stared after Dorothy's back.

"Okay…Quatre," Relena responded, looking at him with that same sad and reflective look. "I really wish you two would hurry and make-up," Relena added more quietly.

Quatre nodded and smiled bitterly. "Me too Relena…me too." And with that he left to stride off toward the parking lot after Dorothy.

Heero came up to Relena and took her into his arms tightly, assuring her with his body that everything would work out in the end…hopefully.

As Heero comforted Relena, gently chastising her but heartening her at the same time, Quatre eventually caught up with Dorothy as she finally reached the dark-olive Jag. She leaned up against it with her arms crossed and her expression unclear.

Dorothy stood there silently waiting for Relena to return. She watched as Quatre approached her, finally stopping only a few feet in front of her and the car.

"_Dorothy_…" Quatre whispered tenderly, a deep longing in his voice this time as well as in his body language.

He held his hands out to her in a gesture of entreaty, looking at her with those eyes that could say so much for their possessor, allowing him to never have to utter a single sentence to express his deepest thoughts and desires.

Dorothy felt herself shiver involuntarily at the sound of her lover's familiar voice breathing her name with so much need once again.

'And those eyes…those eyes….that lied to me!' Dorothy thought furiously, vowing long before not to let this man before her fool her once again.

'Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, however…'

"Quatre," Dorothy replied unemotionally, pretending she didn't know what he came for.

"Dorothy…I'm so—" Quatre began but was cut off by Relena. He gave Dorothy one last furtive look before strolling off to his own vehicle.

"Dorothy, do you have the keys because I don't," Relena interrupted, sounding like her old self once again. Her eyes were straining around in her purse distractedly, and she never saw Quatre's coming and going at all.

On the other hand, Heero hadn't missed a thing. He looked at Dorothy with one eyebrow raised, as if to ask 'what was _that_?'

Dorothy glowered back at him, silently exchanging her own message of 'nothing you need to know about,' and turned to walk around to the passenger's side, now digging into her own purse.

"Indeed I do Relena. Let's go."

* * *

Relena drove a bit more carefully this time in her somber state, yet again parking the car in a spot that could be easily viewed from within the glass-walled bistro.

They were seated immediately at a table in the VIP area. There were quite a few other groups within and many smiled and waved at the familiar diplomats and their husbands.

Relena had taken off her sunglasses and now mostly resembled her usual self. The surrounding guests politely left them alone to enjoy their meal much to their relief.

Dorothy had positioned herself on the far side of their crystal round-table, placing Heero on her left and Relena on her right, allowing them to only sit across from one another and Quatre to only sit across from her on the far side of the table.

They each ordered a round of drinks; Relena opting only for water, Heero requesting a lemonade, and Quatre requesting an unsweetened iced tea with fresh lemon on the side.

The waitress turned to Dorothy and Dorothy finally came to a decision, recalling her state all too well. "I'll just have…water."

Quatre felt the faintest pang in his chest; although Dorothy never looked at him, Quatre still felt accused and bothered by that negligible of pauses.

"So what is everyone else ordering?" Dorothy asked evenly, more than eager to break the ever-looming silence.

"I think I'll have the…baked fish adorned with fresh herbs and the fresh fried plantain on the side (**A/N:** _Wonderful _dish. My favorite food actually…not everything fried is unhealthy!).

"I think I'll have the large lobster with yellow, wild rice on the side," Heero decided and placed down his menu.

"I'll have the same thing as you Relena. It sounds wonderful and it's something I haven't had before," Quatre decided also, placing his menu on top of Heero's.

"I think I'll order a salad appetizer too and some breadsticks for us all. And what will you be having Dorothy?" Relena asked happily, but her smile soon became a worried frown as she looked up at Dorothy's face.

A look of distress had come to Dorothy's countenance and she looked very pale. She wordlessly got up and marched quickly towards the lavatory.

"I'll be right back," Relena promised and followed Dorothy into the ladies' room.

Quatre sighed, running one hand down his face before propping his face into both his hands.

"What do you think Heero? You've been so quiet and observant lately it's nerve-wracking," Quatre said with some exasperation.

"Well, the stress of the situation seems to be aggravating her symptoms," Heero commented, crossing his arms and looking outside of the glass restaurant in thought.

"Yeah…and I'm that stress," Quatre sighed, the first hints of his emotional exhaustion creeping into his voice.

"You're **both** causing a lot of stress to one another," Heero replied a bit more firmly.

"What do you think I should do Heero? I can't just stop seeing her completely…!" Quatre exclaimed anxiously.

"No…but you can observe her from afar; keep tabs on her. When I couldn't…come to terms with my feelings for Relena, I still very much cared about her safety and kept tabs up on her. It eased my mind to still be able to protect her even from far away."

"You could do the same thing. I was one man. You have a whole team behind you, or have you forgotten all about the Maguanac Corps.? They'd be more than eager to assist you, I'm sure."

"You're right! What a great idea Heero! She still won't talk to me even now so…it wouldn't be much of a change," Quatre said sadly, his expression regretful for a moment.

But the stormy look that had settled onto Quatre's features soon cleared, and his expression turned to of immense gratitude and excitement.

"You really are a life-saver Heero. I owe you one. I'll do anything to make this pregnancy I…forced upon her as easy as possible."

Heero nodded. "Think nothing of it. We paid one another back in full during the war. Now see if you can get through this lunch."

"No, in fact, I think I'll—" Quatre started, but stopped as he looked up and saw Relena walking back in with an ashen Dorothy.

When the two had seated themselves once again, Dorothy a little more subdued that earlier, Quatre looked at them all and smiled pleasantly, settling his eyes on Relena at long last.

"I'm sorry Relena, but I must be going now. I forgot I have a meeting to set up and paperwork to send out. I really am pressed for time. Please consider me as a full supporter of the charity event with L3. You should be receiving L4's confirmation shortly."

He took out more than enough money for the meal he wouldn't be eating and threw in a generous tip. He left the money at his spot on the table and nodded to everyone once again.

"It was nice seeing you all again. Dorothy…take care of yourself; I love you," Quatre concluded, and stood up and winded out towards the entrance.

"I'll be seeing you Quatre," Relena called after him, her tone apologetic. "It's unfortunate he has to leave, isn't it Heero?"

"I agree, but perhaps it's for the best right now. Are you alright Dorothy?" Heero asked suddenly, staring at her closely.

Dorothy had silently fixated her eyes onto the table during the entire exchange. Unseen to both Relena and Heero, tears had sprung into her eyes unwillingly.

She angrily blinked them back and thanked the heavens for giving her the sense to keep her shades on.

"I'm fine…now," she replied. When she gained control of herself at last, she finally took off her sunglasses and laid them on the table. Their drinks finally arrived and Dorothy downed her water thirstily, hastily thanking the waitress. She waved their waitress over once again and requested more, downing two more glasses before she was contented.

"Are you alright Dorothy?" Relena asked, concern written all over her features at Dorothy's odd behavior.

"I'm alright. I just...felt a little parched, that's all. I feel much hungrier now. I think I'll eat whatever it was that Quatre ordered."

"The fish and plantain?" Relena supplied.

"Yes, yes that," Dorothy answered a little distractedly. She put a hand to her temples with a slight grimace, feeling the familiar symptoms of a headache.

"Are you sure you're okay? You look more flushed now instead of pale," Relena observed apprehensively.

"Oh Relena, will you drop it?" Dorothy snapped, her irritability only increasing with Relena's questions.

"I just need more water. Waitress," Dorothy called again and she came over immediately, "could you just leave a pitcher of water here please?"

"Sure," their waitress agreed and Dorothy restlessly waited for the fluids to arrive. The food arrived before the water and Dorothy could not bring herself to eat before she had at least one more glass of H20.

"Thank you so much," Dorothy told the waitress, pouring herself another large glass of water. She drank her new glass a bit more sensibly this time and Relena, biting back anymore questions, began to eat her food along with Heero.

Heero watched Dorothy for a few moments before suddenly speaking.. "Dorothy you're only showing signs of dehydration, but luckily it's only a mild case; hirst, dry lips, dry mouth, flushed skin, fatigue, headache, and irritability," Heero checked off quickly. "It's something I've suffered from myself."

Relena smiled to herself in admiration and Dorothy blinked at Heero with surprise.

"Do you think so? I'm sorry at snapping at you a moment ago," Dorothy apologized, looking at Relena.

"It's alright Dorothy. Just increase your fluid intake—right Heero?" Relena asked, kissing her fiancé's cheek.

"Right," Heero agreed, returning to his food once again. "Keep track of how many times you're throwing up a day before your next appointment Dorothy—and you **should** make one."

Dorothy nodded. "You're right. Thanks Daddy Heero," Dorothy grinned and Relena laughed. Heero suddenly paused mid-chew before slowly starting up again, shaking his head at the two amused women incredulously.

* * *

The moment Quatre arrived home, he went into his study to phone Rasid.

"Hello? Ah Master Quatre," Rasid greeted, his smiling face appearing on Quatre's vid-phone.

"Hello Rasid. How are you?" Quatre began casually.

"Very well thank you. Are you having a good time in New Zealand? Somehow this number seems familiar, it seems like—" Rasid began in confusion.

"It's the house number Rasid," Quatre interjected, "I'm home now. Dorothy left me in Zealand. Well, she came home without me and I came home without her," Quatre added quickly.

"Is something wrong Master Quatre?" Rasid frowned with worry.

"No, well," Quatre began, hesitating, "she's…pregnant."

"Oh! How delightful! I'll be sure to spread the hap—" Rasid smiled.

"No, no that won't be necessary Rasid. She isn't—she wants to keep it quiet for now. It's still very early," Quatre interrupted once again, fibbing slightly, "and really…that isn't why I called."

"Oh—sorry then. What is it you wanted?" Rasid asked.

"Dorothy refuses to see me right now. The pregnancy was—was kind of unexpected and she's not sure if she even wants to keep the baby," Quatre finally confessed.

"I see. What is it you want me to do?"

"I love her very much and even—even if she doesn't want to see me, I still am quite concerned over her safety. Well, I_ know_ there's probably nothing to worry about, but I still want to be sure just in case. She's in a fragile state right now and should be taken care of."

"I was hoping you—you and the Maguanac Corps., that is—could help me keep kind of tabs on her. Just to see how she's doing. She looked like she was totally drained of color this afternoon when I saw her last at the mall. I just want to be sure nothing worst than just a little pallor can possibly happen to her.

"I understand completely Master Quatre. What is it you'll have us do?" Rasid asked in a graver tone, taking this as seriously as any mission he'd had before him.

"I would like you and Iman to visit her at least once a week. That wouldn't seem very strange at all since you have been her friends for quite some time now. Every day, like I was thinking at first, could raise some suspicions on her part."

"Well, I want Iman to see what she's eating. Perhaps she can even offer to cook for Dorothy at her house for social reasons just to make sure she's eating everything she needs. Right now, I'm actually reading a book on this," Quatre grinned, blushing a little bit.

Rasid smiled at his young ward. "I see what you mean. What would you like the rest of the Maguanacs to do?"

"Well, if Dorothy does go somewhere without Heero and Relena, I'd like a few of the Maguanacs to be in that location that day. If it's a restaurant, they will be eating there; if it's a boutique, they will be shopping there; and if it's the pool or something, well you get the idea," Quatre smiled, feeling a little better about this now that he knew he had dedicated associates of his behind him.

"Alright, consider it done Master Quatre. I'll inform the rest of the Maguanacs. I'll be arriving shortly from Cairo with Iman."

"Oh! I'm sorry Rasid. I'm sorry I've interrupted your vacation. In fact, you don't have to do this. I can man—" Quatre protested.

Rasid calmly held up a hand and Quatre finally quieted. "My first duty is to you and the Missus—not only as an employee, but as a friend to you both. The last thing I'd want to see is something happening to Miss Dorothy because of lack of concern or you being hardly able to function day to day because of lack of sleep.

"You're like a son to me Quatre and Dorothy is like a daughter. Please, consider your task already accepted and send us our first directives as soon as possible. Good afternoon Master Quatre," Rasid nodded, and his face disappeared off of the vid-phone.

'I'm so lucky to have people such as Rasid in my life. Hmm, well it seems that Relena is obviously aware of the…rift between Dorothy and me. I should see if she is aware of the pregnancy.'

'I won't tell her but—she and Heero will be advantageous in figuring out Dorothy's schedule, especially Heero. I might not even have to involve Relena at all…'

'Well back to work Quatre. Life _is _what **we** make it out to be after all.'

* * *

Not much happened, ne? It's just establishes some things. In about two chapters something very big is going to occur...Anyway, **review! **

_Angel of Mirth _


	14. I Won’t Let You Fall Apart

**Disclaimer: **I couldn't beat the true creators and owners of Gundam Wing in Smash Bros. Melee either, or even the original Smash Bros., so hence I don't own it! Again! I don't own Smash Bros. one or two either by the way -smile-**  
**

**A/N:** I'll just say first off: this is my favorite chapter as of yet. I wrote it quite late last night and it all just came to me. I just kept writing and writing and I couldn't stop. However, I did need to sleep so I had to stop after all! But I finished it today and I am extremely pleased. It actually turned out being stark different from what I thought this chapter would be about. Oh well!

**Warning: **This chapter contains a lemon. That is sexual intercourse between two consenting adults in this case. If you don't even know what that is, you shouldn't be reading this. If you are not at least 16, you shouldn't be reading this. If that kind of thing annoys you, skip this chapter or perhaps you should just stop reading this story.

Thanks!

* * *

' ' are Thoughts

Italics are Past events

* * *

_**"If It Makes You Happy"**_

_"Anything, anything would be better than this agony of mind, this creeping pain that gnaws and fumbles and caresses one and never hurts quite enough."_

_

* * *

_

Dorothy sat alone on "her" bed in the still silence of the early hours of the morning.

She had her hands folded together in her lap, another chilled cup of tea on her bedside table, another two pieces of soppy, uneaten toast beside it.

'I haven't eaten ever since I came back from New Zealand,' Dorothy thought with dark amusement.

'I wonder how that affects the baby…but really, what's four days?' Dorothy reassured herself.

'Though Relena would be very unhappy with me if she knew.'

_Dorothy pushed around her fish and plantain continuously, keeping a steady conversation with Relena and Heero. She held their attention with the beautiful description of the island of New Zealand, and had Relena in stitches after she told her the story of how she tricked the island manager into allowing her to host the karaoke night they had there._

_Heero, circumspect as always, had been half listening and fully watching. He interrupted Dorothy just as she got to the part about how one inebriated girl tried to bring her on stage and plant one on her._

"_Dorothy, are you going to play musical chairs with your food or eat it?" Heero asked with one eyebrow raised._

_Relena wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes and blinked a few times before what Heero had said registered._

"_Yeah Dorothy, are you feeling sick again? I thought you were hungry?" Relena frowned with confusion. _

"_Yeah…I thought I was. But I really don't think I could keep anything down. I still feel nauseous and just thirsty more than anything. I'll be sure to have a big dinner tonight," Dorothy reassured them._

"_Dorothy, I know when you go to see your doc—" Heero began to argue but Relena gave him a hard look and swiftly cut him off._

"_She'll eat when she's feeling well Heero. Would you like her to tire herself out as well because she is running to the restroom to throw up?" Relena asked._

_Heero frowned faintly and fell silent once again, concentrating on finishing up his own meal instead._

_Dorothy eyed Heero with slight nervousness before she smiled again and finished the rest of her story to an attentive Relena._

'Mom always bragged to the other society wives how she managed to stay so thin during her pregnancy with me, and how they all would questioned her with envy. Her perfectionist streak would never have allowed her to become fat—And look, I still came out okay…growing up and being raised was the only hard part,' Dorothy sourly reminisced, a twisted smile coming to her lips.

She finally rose to her feet and walked to the large balcony doors of her temporary bedroom. She spread the curtains to reveal the slowly rising sun, the sky a kaleidoscope of the deepest hues of orange, crimson, lavender, and gold.

Dorothy watched the sun slowly ascend with the awe of a child, a smile coming to her lips. She held out her arms towards the heavens, her scantily clad body already gradually being warmed by the radiance.

'It's going to be a glorious day.'

* * *

Relena met Dorothy downstairs at 9 a.m., her face the perfect picture of surprise.

"Dorothy, I knocked on your door and no one answered and no wonder! You've been down here the whole time no doubt. How long have you been up?" Relena asked as she sat down at the table with Dorothy.

Dorothy placed down the newspaper she'd been reading to answer her with flawless composure. "Since 5 a.m."

"5 a.m.!" Relena exclaimed with shock. "Pregnant women should be sleeping in Dorothy."

The platinum blond woman shrugged nonchalantly, picking her newspaper up once again.

"Oh and by the way, today we're going to schedule your first doctor's appointment so intend to be ready by—" Relena lectured maternally before the resounding chime of her doorbell cut her off.

"I wonder who that could be so early in the morning," Relena stated rather than asked to no one in particularly. She instinctively pulled the belt of her robe tighter around her. She was fully dressed in pajamas, but they were still a bit unbuttoned from Heero's early morning ministrations.

Dorothy shrugged and continued to immerse herself in the periodicals. She looked up as Pagan entered the room with a message about their guest.

"Miss Relena, it is Iman and Rasid from the Catalonia-Winner residence. She says she and Rasid have come to pay an early visit to Dorothy before she quote, 'flies away to somewhere else'."

Dorothy finally stopped reading the newspaper, peeking out from behind it with a slight scowl. "Tell them if they've come by the way of Quatre Raberba Winner's orders, they can leave as "Miss Dorothy" will **not** see them."

Relena gave Dorothy a disapproving look. "Oh don't be like that. You can't be such a cynic as to believe they aren't just worried about a long time friend of theirs after she has apparently returned early from what they thought was the perfect vacation for she and her husband, and left the home of her and her husband, _another _close friend of theirs," Relena accused all in one breath.

"Pagan, please invite them in and ask them if they could please stay for breakfast," Relena replied pleasantly after her tirade, smiling kindly at Pagan and just as sweetly at Dorothy.

Dorothy pursed her lips and then shrugged, hiding herself behind the paper once again.

"Like I said before—whatever makes_ you_ happy, Queen Relena of the World. I didn't know they returned your crown so soon," Dorothy grumbled contemptuously.

Relena only continued to smile sweetly, ignoring Dorothy's comments. "Ah, here comes Heero now. He was probably up as early as you were."

Heero nodded to Dorothy behind the newspaper and to a smiling Relena as he walked into the room. He was still dressed in an old gray tank top and blue-and-white stripped pajama pants. He was carrying his laptop and sat down to the left of Relena.

"Good morning," he said shortly and flipped open his laptop once again.

"I've mapped out what we are having every day for breakfast for the next seven days. Dorothy will be requiring certain nutrients, and to guarantee we will be achieving that task at an optimum level...I have designed a chart," Heero said suddenly.

Dorothy began to cough violently, having choked on her saliva in shock. "Are you mad?" Dorothy asked, flabbergasted that the two of them seemed to be crazy and not** just** Relena.

"Oh Heero! I was just thinking of pulling up some information on the proper diet for Dorothy now myself. You're simply perfect," Relena cried happily, leaning over to kiss Heero firmly on the lips and both cheeks.

Heero nodded, allowing her to kiss him as he quickly continued to blur his fingers over his keyboard. "I'm just drawing up dinner for the last day of this week, and then we can start giving Dorothy "options" for next week based on this precedence. If the doctor gives her a thumbs up after the first week, we'll continue to follow a similar regimen for the next nine months."

"What!" Dorothy exclaimed, now a little angry. "You're mapping out my life for me now? Did you not hear me the first time? Are you _both _mad? First off, I can make my own decisions about what I'm going to eat and of course I'll follow the _doctor's_ orders on what to eat, so you two can just—" Dorothy ranted heatedly before the voices of Rasid and Iman interrupted her.

"Miss Dorothy, you look well," Rasid greeted and Iman immediately enveloped a still fuming Dorothy in a hug.

"Stand up, stand up, let me have a look at you," Iman ordered, already helping Dorothy to her feet.

A barefoot Dorothy, still dressed only in a flimsy nightgown, stood up gloomily and sarcastically spun and pose for Iman.

"Happy now? Is everyone happy now?" Dorothy griped, a scowl now clearly defined on her brow.

"You need some meat on those bones," Iman frowned in thought, one hand on her chin in contemplation as she slowly examined Dorothy from head to toe with her eyes.

Rasid stood quietly by as well with arms crossed, also silently regarding his former mistress discriminately.

"Yes, yes and I intend to personally see about that," Iman nodded, thinking aloud.

Heero lifted his head at that point. "Good. You can help our cook prepare meals for three now instead of just two throughout the day. Dorothy will need to gain at least twenty-five pounds and will require I believe at least five meals a day or many continuous smaller meals."

"You two look good also," Relena smiled pleasantly, enjoying the team effort for (or was it against) Dorothy now.

"Thank you Miss Relena. Good morning and how are you both?" Rasid asked amiably, bowing deeply to her from his waist.

"Oh yes, I'm sorry Miss Relena, Mr. Heero, good morning," Iman smiled, moving to plant two light kisses on both Heero's and Relena's cheeks.

Heero was unmoved by the kiss, placidly allowing it nonetheless, but Relena giggled happily.

"I'm fine, and so is Heero. Right Heero?" Relena asked smilingly.

"For heavens sakes, will you people at least act like I'm here?" Dorothy interjected with exasperation.

"I'm **not **happy and I don't intend on being fattened up like a prized pig or monitored like a prized racehorse. Now you people listen to me," Dorothy began loudly, rising to her feet with her hands on her hips.

"I will eat when _I_ am hungry, just like _I_ use the bathroom when _I _need to use it. Now, I will go to sleep when _I_ want, wake up when _I_ want, and leave the house when _I _want, because I have a feeling you **all** be wanting to place restrictions on that too," Dorothy finished breathlessly, connecting eyes with all around the kitchen after her ultimatum.

"And another thing—" Dorothy began with renewed vigor, but Relena soon jumped to her feet too and placed her hands on Dorothy's belly. Dorothy stopped speaking in utter shock. She stared at Relena, completely floored.

"But what about baby Elizabeth? Or is it Matthew? I think I dreamt you'd name him Laziz, which I looked up and it means "sweet, pleasant" in Arabian, which would just perfectly describe Quatre and _you _when you aren't in such a crabby mo—" Relena babbled happily but Dorothy ended her chattering as she cried out in frustration, and pushed Relena's hands off of her.

"You're already choosing the name for _my_ baby?" Dorothy yelled incredulously.

"And guessing at the sex when even _I _haven't yet? How dare you! How dare you all!" Dorothy shouted, fixating a look of disgust at all around the room.

"Fantasize, prophetize, and plan all you want! But _I'm_ the one carrying this thing and_ I'm_ the one who throws up every morning and every night because of this…this parasite! I feel so different none of you could even imagine it!" Dorothy went on heatedly.

"So try to anticipate something that you don't even know may happen! A birth I haven't committed to, nor a baby I assured any of you I would keep!" Dorothy finished angrily and shoved past them all out of the kitchen with angry tears to run upstairs swiftly.

Silence was the only pervading presence around the room until a firm thud sent everyone's limbs into motion as they ran out of the kitchen screaming Dorothy's name.

Relena was the first to reach a keeled over Dorothy on the floor. She was planted on the ground with one hand weakly supporting her, the other raised to her temple. Dorothy had a fearful expression on her face intermixed with the utmost puzzlement.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry Dorothy!" Relena cried uncontrollably, wrapping Dorothy in a hug as she kneeled beside her. Dorothy's prior expression remained, with an added look of worry. She weakly leaned into Relena as she held her.

Heero swiftly came upon the scene and gently untangled Relena from Dorothy. He gently but quickly picked up Dorothy into his arms, and cradled the bewildered woman against his chest.

"Rasid and Iman—we're taking your car. I doubt you had them parked in the garage, so it will be much faster." Rasid shook his head in agreement, a fearful look on his face as well. He too was utterly speechless with fright.

Iman held her face in her hands and sobbed loudly, Relena soon fiercely hugging Iman and crying into her shoulder as Iman returned her embrace and did the same.

"Relena, Iman, and Rasid—now is not the time to lose ourselves in our emotions. We need to move. We're going to the hospital right now." And without waiting for them, Heero dashed out of the room, tore open the front door, and ran to Rasid and Iman's small Volvo still parked upon the curb.

Dorothy was as silent as mouse and clutched at Heero's shirt like a terrified child just awakened from a nightmare.

"Don't worry Dorothy. I'm not going to let you fall apart," Heero replied firmly, determined to keep the fragile woman safe from place, thing, or person—even if he had to protect her from herself.

He knew that Quatre too would do the same for him if it had been Relena.

* * *

Iman, Rasid, and Relena were too slow for Heero's liking and he'd sped off in the latters' vehicle without a second thought. They arrived soon anyway in Heero's Phantom (driven luckily by Rasid) and met him just as he emerged from the bathroom to re-enter the waiting room.

"Oh Heero," Relena gasped helplessly, running straight into his arms. Heero hugged her close with reassurance, softly stroking her hair and massaging small circles into her back.

"Sssh Relena, everything's going to be fine. They're going to run some tests that's all. Of course the wife of Quatre Raberba Winner is receiving the best treatment, from the best doctors," Heero added, looking up to address Relena as well as Rasid and Iman.

Iman had one hand to her mouth and tears still unwittingly escaped from her already red eyes. She had been crying the whole way there along with Relena, barely able to still her shot nerves even now.

Rasid nodded to Heero to assure him he understood and soon took Iman in his firm grasp. She welcomed the masculine embrace of a faint guarantee everything would be alright. She found strength in his hug and just allowed herself to just be held.

"Relena," Heero whispered softly against her ear, "stay here with Rasid and Iman. I'm going to go phone Quatre on my cell elsewhere. I can't use the phone here because of the medical equipment."

Relena silently nodded, slowly breaking away from Heero to finally sit down nearby from Rasid and Iman. The two old friends soon released one another too from their fierce hug, sitting down beside Relena on either side.

Relena slipped a hand into both Rasid's and Iman's, squeezing each as she somberly gazed off into space. Both Rasid and Iman bowed their heads and began to quietly pray. They both seemed to understand what Heero meant to do without words as he left them shortly after.

Heero took the elevator down into the lobby and immediately one-touch dialed Quatre at his office.

Quatre picked up almost immediately as Heero had dialed the line they'd all agreed on would be only for emergencies.

"Quatre. Dorothy's at the hospital. Please come now," Heero said immediately, wasting no time with frivolous pleasantries.

"Oh my-my—okay Heero," Quatre replied quickly, saving his surprise for later and quickly hanging up. Heero knew that Quatre would be here before they could even blink and even quicker than that when it came to being where Dorothy needed him most.

Heero took the elevator back up to the pregnancy ward where an obstetrician and physician were examining Dorothy. He walked back into the waiting room and Iman moved over to Rasid's left to allow Heero a seat beside Relena.

Everyone looked much more calmed and Relena didn't notice his presence until he was sitting down right beside her.

"Heero," Relena gasp softly in surprise. She let go of Rasid's hand and slide her arms around Heero's shoulders for another hug. Heero obliged her and held her tightly, letting all of her fears and nervousness be shared with him as she buried her face into his shoulder.

"Quatre's on his way," Heero told them all shortly, "All we have to do now is wait."

* * *

After Heero's phone call, Quatre didn't even bother replacing the phone back onto his hook or wasting another second on anything else. He was up and out of his chair, grabbing his suitcase and sprinting right out of his office as fast as an Olympian.

"Mr. Winner! Mr. Winner sir!" Quatre's secretary Ms. Duke called after him with alarm. "Where are you going sir? You have a board meeting this afternoon!"

"Cancel everything!" Quatre answered, as he slipped into the elevator which was conveniently just allowing some people out. He immediately hit the number one and impatiently waited for the chance to be able to race out once again to his car.

'Oh Allah, what could be the matter with her? Is she sick? Please Allah let her be alright!' Quatre pleaded frantically within his mind.

At long last the elevator was slowly opening at the first floor and Quatre was already half way to the entrance of Winner Corps. before it even fully opened. He was especially happy for once to be the head of the company because his parking was right out front.

Quatre already had his keys out, unlocking his car and quickly leaping inside whilst simultaneously tossing his suitcase into the back. He revved up the engine and was peeling out as he still struggled to put on his seat belt.

Quatre put all his speeding skills to the test and he was switching lanes and flowing through traffic like a pro. The hospital was usually a half hour drive in normal circumstances, but these _were not_ normal circumstances; Quatre arrived within ten minutes flat.

He zoomed right up to the front of the hospital and parked in the spot marked "emergency vehicles only." Some of the medical technicians outside on their break shouted after him but Quatre hardly heard anyone except his beating heart.

He was flying past the registry desk but a female voice was shouting after him to stop, and he finally _was_ stopped by two large security officers.

"No, no, you've got to let me through! You don't understand! I have a pregnant wife—" Quatre began and at the words "pregnant wife," the two guards were suddenly letting go.

"Oh sorry buddy. We understand completely. You can register when you get back down here. My wife was just here last mon—" one of the security guards prattled on, but Quatre was already out of ear shot and heading up to the pregnancy ward.

He read the directives on the wall and raced down the hall to the waiting room.

He was a man on a mission and as determined as the former Gundam pilot of Sandrock he left so long ago.

Quatre burst into the waiting room and began throwing questions at a slightly startled looking Heero, Relena, Rasid and Iman.

"Where is she? For the love of God in heaven where is my wife?" Quatre shouted, panting deeply and sweat clearly dripping down his brow.

"Well sir, there are a lot of people's wives in here. This _is_ the pregnancy ward…and I have to ask you to please lower your voice. This is a sensitive area. Now what is her name?" the elder woman at the desk calmly asked.

"Dorothy Catalonia-Winner," Quatre announced immediately, now pressed up against the desk with both hands on the table, his chest still heaving from fatigue.

"Ah Miss Win—oh my goodness! You're Quatre Raberba Winner! Owner of Winner Corps. and well known philan—"the woman began excitedly, forgetting about her intial task already.

"Yes, yes I am! Will you please tell me where my wife is!" Quatre demanded with annoyance in his voice. She was taken back by his tone and for a moment was frozen with shock.

"Oh-Oh I am sorry. Room 309, right around the corner. Doctor—" the woman was telling him but yet again all other voices died on Quatre's ears as he made his final run towards the room holding his sanity in its hands.

Heero and the others watched Quatre, sharing some looks of bewilderment. Relena was soon giggling and smiled up at Heero whose eyes were still trained upon the spot his blond haired comrade had just stood.

"You know, I wonder if that's how you looked when you heard that I was kidnapped by Mariemaia," Relena giggled, and Heero gave her a look of disbelief.

"Of course," Heero answered without any hesitation at all

* * *

Quatre burst into room 309 without pausing for a knock. The obstetrician, physician, and two nurses treating Dorothy turned to the door with surprise.

The doctor immediately began to give the speech he gave to all the rowdy visitors unwilling to wait until they were called, but was stopped in his tracks as he saw a man who looked as if he'd ran a marathon and fought a war all in the last hour.

Quatre stood, chest heaving and hands loosely gripped into fists at his sides. His hair was chaotically wind blow in every single direction possible and somehow he had car grease on his previously perfectly pressed dress pants, sweat clearly also having saturated his clothing, and the same perspiration running down his face set into utmost determination.

He only had eyes for Dorothy however, and she was the only one he looked directly at. Dorothy was sitting up on the hospital bed weakly clutching at her hospital gown in a random act of propriety.

She looked into Quatre's heated gaze and strained expression with the utmost astonishment. Her mouth was slightly agape and her lavender eyes were wide with shock. She stared at him wordlessly, waiting to see what he would do next. This was the most wild, passionate, and utterly crazed she had ever seen him.

She didn't know that he had only looked like this on one other occasion; after he had attempted to blow up Heero in space and Trowa had thrown himself into the way, his mind at the time half gone with anger and grief.

"Dorothy," he said hoarsely and stalked over to her slowly. Dorothy was frozen in place, staring up at her husband in silent apprehension.

'He's angry with me, he has to be angry with me,' Dorothy thought in misplaced panic.

"Quat—" Dorothy began but was cut off as Quatre gripped her firmly by the shoulders, pulling her to him quickly yet smoothly with tenderness, his mouth enveloping all of hers in an arduous, and hungry kiss.

The doctors and nurses stood by in shock, having long ago moved out of the harrowed looking man's way. They only looked on with further mystification, watching first-hand the sort of love between two people that was far and few between.

Quatre slid his hands down Dorothy's back slowly, taking his time to impress the feeling of his inflamed grasp upon her soft skin and languorous curves, not only upon his memory, but upon hers. He never broke their kiss as he slid his hands underneath her rear end and lifted her up against him, allowing her to feel the hardness of his muscles underneath his dress shirt and douse her senses with his unique scent of rain and fresh air Dorothy remembered on their night out with Relena, Heero, and An Liu so long ago. It was now also intermingled with his more masculine perspiration and some unknown scent, trapping her own wits in a thick cloud of obsessive, inexplicable need.

Dorothy whimpered helplessly against him, as he kept one hand on her lower back, gently massaging at her lower muscles and kneading a deep heat into her loins and bones. Quatre had Dorothy bent back across his arm, forcing her to arch even more forcefully against him as she tried to tilt her head back and gasp for air.

The nurses' faces were flushed with embarrassment and amazement, deep down inside each of them wishing they were suddenly the long haired blond, powerlessly being worn out by insistent kisses and rendered dizzy and faint to the world around her.

The other doctors cleared their throats a couple times, then shrugged, guiding the two nurses out by the shoulders to leave the two lovers alone. The nurses glanced back one last time at the mad scene behind them before firmly closing the door after themselves.

Quatre wasn't aware of anything else but his Dorothy; to reassure himself that she was really here, totally awake and aware in his arms.

He parted her lips with his tongue and tasted her without waiting for an invitation. Dorothy clung to him, her senses aflame with breathless giddiness, shock, and somehow doubts.

She suddenly tried to break away from him, but Quatre held her close, pressing her head back more firmly against his arm. He slowly spun them around so that he was now perched upon the hospital bed and Dorothy had to part her thighs to grip around his middle to keep from falling.

Quatre pulled away the flimsy gown she had been adorned in and Dorothy breathed in sharply at the sudden feel of cool air against her burning, hot skin. Quatre placed rapid butterfly kisses all over her mouth, this allowing her short breaths in between each kiss of death to her sensibility. He growled in appreciation as Dorothy was braless from having to change for the doctors and he was only hindered by her underwear.

Quatre slid his hands around to her front and slowly slid his hands over her chest, softly brushing his thumbs over her areolas and kneading the soft flesh of her bust within his warm hands.

Dorothy had her arms around his neck to keep from toppling over and she jerked forward from the sudden jolt of pleasure. He was brushing over her most responsive of parts, everything about her more highly sensitized by her pregnant state. She tilted her head back, a delicious shiver going through her at his touch. She closed her eyes and simply lost herself in the feeling, her legs gripping tighter around him.

Quatre bit his lip, watching her face, and leaning forward to kiss her slightly swollen lips impulsively.

"**Dorothy**," he whispered ever so softly, what he needed clear in his voice. She only nodded her head, murmuring a consenting yes.

Quatre kissed her quickly once again and crawled back more fully onto the mattress, his arm holding her firmly around the waist. Dorothy was quickly tearing away his shirt and unbuttoning and unzipping any other obstacles.

When they'd both struggled off one another's clothing, Quatre gently lifted her up and settled her back on top of him, filling her to the hilt. Dorothy tossed her head back, crying out in indescribable ecstasy. Quatre repeated his actions again and again until they were both mindless and drunk off of the sensations of being together once again after so long.

Quatre knew her well, and in a short span of time that felt like an eternity, they were both biting back an ecstatic cry of bliss.

"Dorothy, Dorothy, open your eyes," Quatre whispered after their shared peak, and Dorothy fluttered her eyes open weakly, her face flushed and eyes stormy with emotion.

"Yes, Dorothy, you are my mirror, be my mirror," he whispered, kissing her slowly, seeing in her eyes some semblance of the passionate joy she brought to him.

Dorothy slowly came down from her heightened state and Quatre soon was disentangling himself from her. He lay back onto the small bed, pulling her gently with him as he settled into the now slightly moistened sheets.

They were soon lying back in one another's arm, calmly falling into sleep from sheer mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion.

* * *

The two lovers are back into one another's arms again...or are they? Nonetheless, I'd love to hear from you in your_** reviews**_ what you thought of this! It'll be quite helpful as always!

_Angel of Mirth _


	15. With or Without You

**Disclaimer: **I'm jobless, but if I owned Gundam Wing, I still wouldn't be poor. Please don't sue, I own nothing, but the plot.

**A/N: **Took a while, ne? I'm not sure what I was going for in this chapter...preliminary stuff? Hopefully this doesn't fall flat on its face. Happy holidays.

* * *

' ' are Thoughts

Italics are Past events

* * *

**_"If It Makes You Happy"_**

_"Running away will never make you free."_

_

* * *

_  
_Thump, thump._

_She heard…or was it all in her head?_

_Thump, thump._

_Yes…a knock. _

_No…this was too soft. _

_A heartbeat. _

_Warmth…so familiar yet so—_

'_Where am I?'_

_She pushed forward and felt warmth. Solid warmth, a fragrance like…_

_Dorothy opened her eyes, finally breaking the surface of her hazy consciousness. She saw the deep rise and fall of a torso._

_Flat chest…broad shoulders? And that smell—_

'_My god.'_

_Dorothy suddenly leapt straight of the bed, snatching up the sheets with her. The body that had loosely been embracing her let out a small yell of surprise and spun fully off the bed from the force of Dorothy's movements._

"_Ah, my head..."_

"_Quatre?" Dorothy gasp and began walking backwards, her eyes wide with shocked realization._

_Quatre slowly pulled himself back onto the bed, stopping halfway to remain crouched, still very mindful of his nudity if someone walked in._

"_Hello, Dorothy," Quatre smiled sheepishly._

"_HELLO DOROTHY? Is that all you have to say? Where are the doctors? The nurses? Doctor Aki! Nurse Mary! Holly!" Dorothy screamed, turning and tearing the door open, bolting right out of the entrance with the sheets still half-hazardly worn around her._

"_Dorothy—wait! I can explain!" Quatre yelled after her and he was momentarily detained looking for something to cover himself. He spotted Dorothy's hospital gown and with a slight groan jogged over to snatch it up and put it on as best he could._

_As Quatre was still worried about maintaining his dignity, Dorothy was in a panic._

"_DOCTOR AKI! NURSES!" Dorothy screamed, running off right into the middle of the lobby._

"_Dorothy!" Relena gasp and all three of her friends stared at her in confusion. They had heard the screaming voice of a woman they never thought could lose her head in such a manner; in anger, yes, but in panic? Anxiety? Even when she'd fallen, she'd—_

"_You're al—" Relena began happily, standing up to hug her. Dorothy saw her movements and slapped her right across the face._

"_You! All of you did this!" Dorothy accused in a vicious shout as Relena tumbled backwards at the sudden blow. She fell right into Heero's arms as he securely caught her. He was already rising to his feet along with Rasid. _

"_Dorothy, wait, this is all—" Iman began uncertainly, seeming at an impasse of whether to stay seated and away from the infuriated woman or try and embrace her and hope she would give into reason._

"_Oh no you don't!" Dorothy snarled and snatched up her makeshift gown and ran right out of the lobby._

_She blew past the other awaiting patients, all who were staring at her in silent shock. They recognized this woman. They knew her from television. It was the head member of Relena Peacecraft's advisory board. What the hell was going on here?_

_The lady at the desk stared around her in disbelief before she finally realized what she must do. She slipped her hand underneath the desk to buzz for security. She dialed in the security number of her vid-phone to dispatch more distinct information on the patient. _

_Heero gently handed a shocked Relena, whose hand was still placed over the cheek Dorothy had so brutally assaulted, to Iman. Silent tears were coming out of her eyes now, and as Iman asked if she was alright over and over the young woman refused to speak, to even **think** of what had just happened. _

_Heero quickly sped after Dorothy. He knew he was faster and he knew that Dorothy was in no shape or form to be allowed to remain alone._

_Dorothy had gotten a head start and Heero quickly caught up to Rasid who had already been on her trail. They both saw the train of blond hair whip around the left corner heading towards the stairs. _

_Heero growled. "Rasid, I need you to take the elevator and head her off. I'll get her on the stairs. No way can she get away unless she's wants to—" Heero began, but cut himself off._

'_By god…is she going to…?'  
_

* * *

_Quatre finally tied the damn gown so that only his upper back was exposed and jogged out after Dorothy. There was no way she could get that far. Heero and Rasid were both right outside this door.  
_

* * *

_'I have no idea where I intend on going or what I intend to do but it doesn't keep me from sprinting through these white walls like my life depends on it.' _

_"But my life does depend on this," Dorothy whispered, narrowing her eyes in determination. She felt a surge of energy as she finally saw the stairs._

_Within ten meters of it she slowed to a stop. A dark idea had entered her mind..._

_'What if...'  
_

* * *

_Heero saw her first: a petite blond woman wrapped in a white sheet, slowly walking towards the stairs as if in a dream._

_"Dorothy!" Heero screamed, and she spun, and in that moment the sheet wrapped her legs and she looked at him in shock and surprise._

_No sound came out of her mouth as she begin to tauter backwards, her swaths of cloth entangling her legs and throwing her off balance._

_"NO!" Heero screamed and sprinted forward, dive rolling and leaping up again, trying to cover that seemingly neverending gap of space._

_He was in luck, the doors to the elevator to the left popped open and Rashid appeared in its doors._

_Rashid saw and reacted, reaching her in two giant steps and one dash forward to grab her wrist just as Dorothy feet completely slipped from underneath her. Her gently pulled into a firm embrace._

_Her chest was heaving and she didn't even have the strength to try and free herself. She finally went limp and Rashid finallly looked to Heero._

_"Let's take her back. She's passed out."  
_

* * *

Dorothy didn't trust herself. She didn't trust herself with him, yet she didn't trust herself without….without **someone** there…anyone.

'Look at the fiasco that occurred today; I am weak, so very weak,' Dorothy thought spitefully.

She had left them all and locked herself in her guest bedroom.

She only had one option left now.

This all had been shoved down her throat and into her face to a blinding capacity. She was angry with the doctors, she was angry with Relena, she was angry with Rasid, Iman, and especially—

"_Quatre_," Dorothy murmured ever so softly, her voice quivering with livid emotion.

She had unmindfully clutched her hands into fists and her entire body was trembling with the force of her anger; bitter, untiring, unrelenting, and every much alive—_fury_.

'He raped a pregnant woman! And the doctors _let_ him do it!'

Dorothy threw herself onto her stomach once again and brought the pillow into her face. She screamed in irritation and then fell silent once again, her body never ceasing its inconsolable quaking.

She was going crazy.

'No…no they're the mad ones. They all planned this!'

But she resented herself most of all.

Finally the tears came. She been posed a great effort against them since she left the hospital, but now she just…she just wanted gave in.

She felt like vomiting—and not from the baby either.

'But you needed him in those moments too, _didn't you_?' that snide voice inside Dorothy's head suddenly asked, re-emerging suddenly after perhaps weeks.

"Damn you. I felt sad, alone and overwhelmed. All that did was help me forget," Dorothy frowned, murmuring out loud.

'Did it now? Or did it help you remember just how good it feels to be in Quatre's arms, all warm and sa-'

"Shut up," Dorothy growled, punching the pillow.

"Just leave me alone."

Dorothy sighed heavily, sliding slowly out of bed and onto her feet. She placed a hand to her face, feeling incredibly hot. To try cool her nerves and walked across the room to the bathroom door. She turned to lean her back against it, sliding gently onto the floor, a hand pressed to her forehead still, the cool wood against her back

'There's only one thing I can do now.'

Dorothy rose to her feet and immediately began tearing her clothes out of her closet. She threw on a pair of slacks and a fitted tee and rummaged until she found the only pair of sneakers she owned. She put on a pair of socks and the sneakers before taking out a backpack. She took only three outfits for warm weather and five for cold weather, presuming she would just buy clothes as she needed.

She stood and stopped to listen for footsteps. Heero had come by to knock at her door hourly, asking if she was alright. It was now passed midnight. She'd slowed her breathing and lay there docilely since eleven. She didn't stir in the least even when Heero used a spare key and walk in to check on her visibly. He hadn't been back since ten thirty.

'Hmm, the benefits of being a child of espionage,' Dorothy thoughly, smiling slightly to herself. She dropped her backpack and crouched at her window, barely peeking over the windowsill.

Just as she'd thought there were two guards below her window and with her careful eye she saw the black head of a trip light, the faintest of lazers going right across the middle of the window and balcony.

Dorothy smiled again bitterly. 'I'm a prisoner, but I am also Dorothy Catalonia.'

She left the window and picked up her pack again and went to the bedroom door. She unlocked it and calmly walked out. She walked down the hallway and turned the corner to the stairs. There sat Heero.

"And what are you doing up Dorothy?" Heero asked without turning an inch.

His astuteness brought a faint smile to her lips for what had to be the third time that night.

"I'm leaving Heero."

"You can't."

"And why not? Because you and Relena say so?"

"No, because you're dehydrated, malnourished, and could barely stand only a few hours ago."

"Well," Dorothy snapped back, "I'm standing now, I'm walking now, and I'm leaving now."

But Dorothy didn't move one inch.

Heero's muscles had already tensed, ready to leap up and grab her if she attempted to run.

Instead, she calmly took out her cell phone.

* * *

Quatre lay on his back, shirtless and with his hands behind his head. He'd been home since 7 PM and had been lying in his bed like this, staring up at the ceiling since 9PM. It was now 12:15 AM.

He lay there in the pair of boxers Dorothy had once upon time christened as her favorite: white silk, with baby blue stripes.

All of his blankets were strewn to the floor. He'd been violently tossing and turning for hours and he finally lay there to just let his mind wander after all and give up on forcing sleep.

'I thought if she'd return to my touch, she'd return to my arms but it seems like it was a moment of vulnerability for the both of us...and nothing more'

'Dorothy...Dorothy, why aren't you taking care of yourself...and our baby?'

He groaned, rubbing his eyes in frustration and went back to review the events of the day at the hospital all over again.

Quatre had shortly arrived come upon the scene of Heero beside Rashid with a passed out Dorothy in his arms. He'd wordlessly walked forward and Rashid allowed him to pick Dorothy up in his arms and walk her back to the examination room. Heero went ahead and told the security to go back to their posts and nothing was amiss. The three had walked back through the halls like a procession of saints, a fallen angel in one of their arms.

When she'd woken up the doctor went ahead and examined her. She'd glanced once at Quatre and said nothing. She answered the doctor's questions begrudgingly and Dr. Aki frowned heavily afterward. He wrote down a list of things she shouldn't be doing and should be doing while pregnant and she only nodded once after he gave her a lecture on the mistakes she'd been making and the possible dangers she was putting herself and her baby in.

Quatre had quietly taken notes while he'd spoke, aghast at her behavior since she'd returned from New Zealand.

'But isn't it my fault?' Quatre internally questioned himself, sighing heavily. 'The stress, the anger...'

He had noted the date for her next visit the following month and quietly excused himself with the doctors, the nurses remaining inside with Dorothy as a precaution. He then quietly joined Heero who was leaning against a wall nearby. Heero told Quatre everything that had occured that night. He told Heero he would need to personally apologize to Relena and Heero had asked why. He'd simply said he'd been the catalyst to her Dorothys' unhappiness and erratic behavior, and it was his job to correct all the wrongs that'd come of it. Without waitng for a reply, he told Heero to make sure Dorothy got home safe. He took the stairs to the basement to come up another way and avoid Relena for now.

Bring! Bring!

Quatre jumped, his eyes darting to look at the clock next to the phone. 'Who could be calling at 12:30 AM?'

Quatre snatched up his cell and hit the button for_ visual phone talk_.

"Dorothy!" Quatre exclaimed, immediately sitting up against his headboard.

Dorothy only tilted her head, one corner of her mouth lifting. "Quatre, I want to come home."

* * *

Heero finally turned and stood up. "I'll wait with you downstairs for Quatre."

"Whatever you want Heero," Dorothy replied calmly once again and made her way down the stairs with Heero right beside her.

They waited at the door together in silence until a swish of blond was seen passing the far window.

"That's for me Heero, I will see you," Dorothy said, glancing back once before opening the door and stepping out right in front of Quatre.

He jumped. "Dorothy!" he exclaimed again, putting a hand to his chest. "You surprised me."

Dorothy closed the door behind her. "I surprise myself as well. Let's go. I'll drive behind you in my jag."

"Come with me in mine, I can have Rashid pick up your car tomorrow," Quatre offered, holding out his hands beseechingly.

Dorothy looked at him, and suddenly her eyes grew sad.

'Should I reconsider?'

She quickly shook her head and scowled at him once again.

"No. I haven't been able to move freely for some time. I want to drive myself."

Quatre nodded and didn't argue like Dorothy predicted he wouldn't.

'He'll do anything to make me happy right now.'

* * *

Quatre constantly checked his rearview mirror, so much so, that Dorothy even gave him a little wave and a wry smile to let him know how silly he was being.

Quatre smiled slightly to himself. 'So she's not going to bolt, good...good,' he thought, running a hand through his messy hair. He had immediately leapt out of bed, thrown on a shirt and pajama pants, and bolted out of his room. He had shouted to Rashid and Iman's room that he'd be back with Dorothy in tow as he sprinted out the door.

Quatre allowed himself to steadily drive for a while without craning his neck. After ten minutes or so, he lifted his eyes to check his rear view mirror again.

"What the hell! When did she drive away?" Quatre shouted, and immediately cut back around to make a U turn, the horns of oncoming traffic blaring upon him.

"Oh, get off it!" Quatre yelled, the screech of his tired in his ears.

Quatre grit his teeth. "Oh Allah, as if they can hear me. I'm going a bit crazy aren't I."

Quatre glanced back and forth and forward, trying to catch a glimpse of Dorothy's vehicle with no luck. "Where would I go if I were trying to get away?" he questioned himself aloud.

"Oh! Of course!" And with that Quatre made a sharp right, once again getting some well deserved honking behind him.

* * *

"Home free!" Dorothy yelled, smiling and just stopping herself from honking her horn wildly. She smiled her first real smile in weeks.

"I feel so, so weightless!" she continued to yell to no one in paticular.

"I can get there in twenty five minutes with this thing ," Dorothy grinned, gunning it from 75 to 80. She knew the back roads and took each to avoid detection and the cops.

Dorothy could see the airport and knew she was only minutes from getting away from it all. Suddenly there was the loud blare of a horn behind her. She looked up into her rear view mirror in shock. "Quatre!" she screeched.

He smiled at her and suddenly his gaze turned primal. 'What the hell is he going to do?'

From the corner of her eye she saw him coming up beside her. She pressed her foot down on the gas even more, pushing up to 90.

Quatre was now right beside, a look of determination on his face. He put down his passenger seat window to talk to her. "Hey! Slow down! Let's talk! You don't need to do this!"

"Oh, worry about yourself Quatre Raberba Winner!" Dorothy screamed back angrily. They were both now neck and neck, pushing it to almost 100.

"Oh shit, I need to make a turn soon!" Dorothy spat, gritting her teeth. She finally started to ease into her break and beside her she could see Quatre doing the same.

Instead of making the right hand turn however, she slowed just enough and then slammed her foot into the gas pedal. Quatre was caught off guard and she heard him curse out loud as she left him in the dust behind her. She soon heard the engine of his 1965 AC Cobra Replica rev up once again and he was quickly closing the gap.

"I don't want to hurt you Quatre but I will get out of here," Dorothy murmured and hooked back around, making a U turn right in front of Quatre, continuing her dash righ over the median into the other side of traffic.

"What the hell Dorothy!" Quatre screamed and was forced to cut his car off to the right to avoid slamming into her. He was lucky he'd only been at 65, but he still could smell burned rubber. His car skid to a 180 degree angel and Quatre quickly went to turn it back around and follow Dorothy. Before he knew it though she'd continued her U turn right back around him and was speeding off into the distance. Quatre backed up slightly and sped up after her once again.

Dorothy slowed down as she entered the parking lot and she could see Quatre only twenty meters behind her. "_Does he ever give up!_" Dorothy yelled angrily and as she finally found a parking spot. Quatre didn't bother finding one and parked right behind her, boxing her in.

"Oh damn it Quatre! Just leave me alone! I'm leaving whether you like it or not!" Dorothy shouted at him, turning furious blue-gray eyes on him as she tore her pack out of Jag.

"No!" Quatre yelled and without considering what she might do he ran up and grabbed her, hugging her fiercely to him.

"No! Talk to me! _Talk_ to me dammit!" He shouted, holding her only inches away from his, as he stared back into her eyes with an angry blue-green gaze of his own.

Dorothy gripped the pack and stared at him, silence between them now. She scowled and refused to let up.

"Well if you're not going to talk! I am! I'm not giving up on this marriage Dorothy and I'm not giving up on you! I never have!" Quatre exclaimed passionately, his eyes still angry.

Dorothy still stared back cooly until she finally had to tear her eyes away. "I don't need your help Quatre. I have my own money and I can take care of myself," Dorothy stated.

"Well I need you! The colonies need you! Relena and Heero need you! And I know you need me here," he finally quietly, placing his hand over her heart.

Dorothy felt her heart race at his touch and suddenly she felt afraid again. 'I can't let him change my mind now. I'm too close this time.'

"Let me go Quatre, let me go; if you''ll love me, you'll let me go," Dorothy said softly, her eyes dropping again and her hair shielding her face. She felt glad he couldn't see the tears in her eyes.

"Give me some time to think things through on my own. I have to be back here in three and a half weeks anyway for the charity event. I haven't forgotten my job."

'You wouldn't,' Quatre thought, but held his tongue. "Where do you intend to go?"

"I'll go stay with your family in Cairo. I promise. You can come with me to buy the ticket if you don't believe me," Dorothy replied, looking up at him defiantly.

Quatre's eyes grew soft at the sparkle of tears he saw on her face and her flushed cheeks. He felt all of his frustration and anger leave him. "Okay Dorothy," he said gently and held himself back from kissing her.

With that, he finally let go of her arms and slowly moved off behind her as she walked towards the airport entrance.

* * *

Quatre remained staring up at the night sky where Dorothy's flight had just been minutes before.

He finally turned and slipped his hands in his pockets, realizing he could only call his sisters tomorrow and hope she'd be there.

* * *

"Well...Cairo, here I am. Time to call Quatre's sisters..." Dorothy murmured to herself as she walked into one of the Winner Hotels. She had changed into a white dress, and light filmy hooded jacker over a white tank top. She had on a sun hat, sunscreen, gloves and shades. She knew she would burn otherwise and was happy to look almost completely unrecognizable.

She sat down in the lobby, exhausted. She'd thrown up from 8-10 AM and had only had a break in the last forty-five minutes. She'd forced down water and fruit but wasn't going to attempt to eat again until the afternoon.

She put her cell to her ear and within a couple rings it was answered. "Hello, this is the Winners Residence," answered one of the servants.

"Hello, please inform Quatre Raberba Winner's sisters that his wife Dorothy Catalonia Winner is on the phone."

"Oh yes! Certainly," the servant replied and she was put on hold.

"Dorothy! How sweet is to hear from you. How are you and Quatre and what is it that you need?" answered Quatre's sister, whom Dorothy recognized as Fatima by her light voice.

"Hello Fatima. I am a bit tired and Quatre is fine. I'm here alone on...vacation. Quatre had to stay behind. Could you please send a car to pick me up at the Winner Hotel in Cairo?"

"Certainly, certainly, let me make the necessary arrangements."

Within an hour, a stretch limousine arrived to pick Dorothy up. Dorothy emerged from the hotel with her pack and slide into the cool interior as the door was opened for her. Inside sat Fatima.

"Fatima," Dorothy smiled and the two exchanged kisses. Dorothy remembered Fatima the most as she was one of the few that _happily _accepted she and Quatre's union.

"What are you doing here on such short notice if you don't my asking?" Fatima asked, honestly curious.

Dorothy smiled briefly going over Fatima's face. She was eight years older than Quatre but still resembled him the most. She had large blue-green eyes like he did but long straight brown hair. Their facial features were still almost identical. There was no hostility in her tone as she questioned Dorothy.

Dorothy hesitated but finally felt she could entrust as least Fatima with this information. "I have a three week break from work and I'm...I'm pregnant!"

"Oh Allah!" Fatima exclaimed, clasping her hands and simply beaming at Dorothy, "This is certainly a blessing! How far along are you? Have you picked out names for the baby?"

"Fatima...I," Dorothy begin, now turning to face forward and clasp her hands in her lap, "I'm not sure if I want this baby."

"Oh?" was all Fatima could say, her eyes wide with astonishment. "Why, why not Dorothy? If you're afraid I can tell you all about my own pregnancy with Aadil and answer any quest-" she began but Dorothy gently interrupted her.

"No... Fatima I'm not sure if I want children."

"Oh," Fatima replied a bit more slowly and this time she fell silent. Her tone suddenly became more somber. "Does Quatre know? _Did _he know?"

Dorothy hesitated this time. 'Did I ever let him know before marry me that I did not want children? By God, but...but we never discussed it! Is this both our fau-'

"Dorothy?" Fatima asked gently again, interrupting her thoughts.

"Y-yes, and no," Dorothy said gradually, turning back to Fatima with a serious and suddenly bewildered expression.

"Am I a bad person Fatima? Am I? He wants children so badly and I got so angry with him and accused him of being a...sneaky bastard for putting this...burden on me. Am I a horrible person for considering this a burden rather than a miracle Fatima? Am I?" Dorothy gasped, place a hand over a her eyes, suddenly feeling faint again.

Fatima said nothing and brought her into a gentle hug. "No, no dear," was all she said and felt terrible for both parties involved.

"Fatima, I want to make a request of you."

"And what would that be dear?"

"Help me find...help me find an abortion clinic."

* * *

Relena nodded at Heero's words. "So she's back at Quatre's now? Should I call?"

"Sure," Heero replied, continuing to read the latest technological updates from his laptop.

Relena nodded again, and trusting in Heero's wisdom dialed Quatre's home phone number.

"Hello Miss Relena," Rashid answered.

"Hello, could I please speak to Quatre?"

"Certainly."

Within a couple minutes, Quatre's face appeared on the screen. Instead of seeing a bright and happy face like she expected, instead Quatre looked haggard and forlorn.

"Quatre, what's wrong?" Relena asked, a worried expression on her face. Heero lifted his head to listen.

"Dorothy went to Cairo to stay with my sisters," he replied sadly.

"Oh Quatre, I'm sorry, I really am. This is all my fault."

"Oh, no, not at all Relena. I'd like to apologize for entangling you in all of this. I know sorry isn't enough at all and I hope you are also physically okay."

"I'm fine, I'm fine Quatre," Relena sighed. "I deserved it I think. I overstepped my bounds for sure. Are you okay? Please come over today Quatre."

"I'm as good as expected," Quatre sighed, feeling like he'd been doing that a lot lately, "and certainly. Expect me at 1 PM."

Quatre arrived on the dot and Heero met him at the door. "I heard. Relena's in the living room." Quatre nodded and followed him inside. Heero sat down with Relena and Quatre sat across from them.

"This has been a wild week," Quatre began before Heero interrupted.

"She may leave Cairo Quatre," Heero replied, stating what was on Relena's mind as well.

"No, she promised she'd stay with my sisters."

"Did she say how long?" Heero countered, raising his eyebrows skeptically.

"No," Quatre said, frowning.

"Hm," was all Heero said and he fell silent again.

"I want to go to Cairo," Relena stated, breaking the silence. Quatre looked up at her in surprise.

"I was thinking of the same thing."

"Let's all go," Heero said logically and stood up. "I'm going to go pack."

"Wait! Heero, she said she needs time to think alone," Quatre said, his eyes looking up at Heero sadly.

"We won't go to your place Quatre, but we'll be in Cairo. She can be alone all she likes," Heero acknowledged and went to the stairs again.

"He has a point Quatre; we'll stay somewhere nearby, keep an eye out," Relena smiled, standing up too.

"Okay," Quatre smiled, "I'll go tell Rasid and Iman."

* * *

Review.

_Angel of Mirth _


	16. Sick and Tired

**Disclaimer: **I have a job! Yes! But it is, unfortunately, unpaid. I do not own Gundam Wing and I couldn't but it even if my heart so desired. Please don't sue, I own nothing, but the plot.

**A/N: **I've had this in queue for so long. I think it's the longest one yet. I sincerely thank every last reader, especially those who have waited so long.

* * *

' ' are Thoughts

Italics are Past events

* * *

**_"If It Makes You Happy"_**

_"Why should not Conscience have a vacation."_

_

* * *

_

"Oh, I haven't been in Cairo so long Quatre, I almost forgot how beautiful it was!" Relena exclaimed excitedly, her hands pressed against the glass of their private jet.

Heero secretly watched her through his bangs, smiling to himself ever so softly. 'She can be such a little girl at times.'

"I know, every time I fly over it I'm flooded with memories. I've always thought about building a house here to live in during the summer, rather than just being around when I have to for business."

"That seems like a wonderful idea Quatre. How come you've never followed through with it?" Relena asked curiously, turning her head to look at Quatre but keeping her palms splayed against the glass.

"Oh, I don't know. Dorothy burns easier than I do and we have only been married about…about two years now. I guess I never, I never got around to bringing it up," Quatre ended softly, his gaze drifting passed Relena and out the window, seemingly speaking more to himself than to her.

Relena nodded, her eyes and Heero's exchanging a silent look of understanding and she returned to her window gazing and Heero returned his eyes to his laptop.

"We'll be pulling into my company's runway within two hours. I say we made pretty good time. It's normally a seven to eight hour trip, but we're making it in five," Quatre explained, looking at his watch.

"It'll be about 6:30 P.M."

* * *

Fatima's eyes widened and Dorothy swore she saw the rise and fall of her chest cease.

She blinked slowly and gently took one of Dorothy's hands into both of her own. She patted it and smiled shakily. "Oh you don't mean that dear, I know you don't."

Dorothy said nothing and calmly slipped her hand away from Fatima's. She gripped her hands together tightly in her lap and faced forward, her eyes now turned to stare emotionlessly out the window.

"I meant what I said Fatima," Dorothy replied barely above a whisper.

Fatima stared at her once again in shock and then her hands were pressed against her own caramel cheeks in distress. "Oh Allah, she's serious," Fatima spoke aloud, as if to convince herself.

"I don't know if I can help you Dorothy," Fatima finally said.

"I am a woman of Islam and you can provide for this baby. I believe the Christians as well…" Fatima faltered, looking at Dorothy's face carefully, as if all her hearts secrets would finally be revealed there.

Dorothy's face never altered. "Alright then. I will remain one night here and then I must be on my way Fatima. Please don't take this as me being ungrateful for your insurmountable kindness. I would still love to see all my sisters-in-law and their children."

"Oh Dorothy! Please, please stay the week? We can both think this over for one week," Fatima pleaded, a hand impulsively leaving her cheek and reaching out for Dorothy's wrist, but the movement died halfway through.

Dorothy's lips pursed and she gripped her hands tightly in her lap. "I must be swift in my convictions Fatima. Please try to understand."

Fatima pursed her own lips in sadness and finally sat back on the cool limo seats. Her own small hands fell limply into her lap and she looked out the opposite window in deep thought.

When the two finally arrived at the Raberba mansion a little after one o'clock, there were four women servants swiftly exiting the arched white doors of the expansive grounds to come help the Catalonia heir with her pack.

She nodded her thanks but told them she was fine to carry it herself. They anxiously followed behind Fatima and Dorothy as they walked onto the grounds, ready to assist with anything else.

Fatima smiled at them and asked if everything was going well at home and she listened politely as they updated her.

"And are any of my sisters in?"

Akana, a dark-haired woman with blue-black eyes nodded. "Your sisters Khait, Nanu, Rashida, and Hebony and Iboni are here. Twenty of them are at their nearby homes and the three eldest—Iria, Emu, Kissa—are at the office."

Fatima nodded and Dorothy inwardly sighed. 'Of course the five most difficult sisters to get along with would be in.'

"Who is at the door?" a woman's voice called out, which soon showed to be Khait's. The twins Hebony and Iboni followed her quickly down the stairs.

Nanu and Rashida walked out into the large marble receiving room and smiled identical smiles of malice.

"Oh, if it isn't our dear sister Dorothy!" Rashida exclaimed, clasping her hands in mock delight.

"A pleasant surprise indeed," Nanu added in her slow, drawling voice.

Hebony and Iboni marched in behind Khait, thin eyebrows drawn together in identical sets of annoyance. Khait smiled and opened her arms out to Dorothy.

"Cat!" she shouted, calling Dorothy by the nickname she so positively despised.

"Now, now—you know not to call her that Khait," Fatima gently admonished.

Dorothy stiffly walked into Khait's arms as she hugged her. "Why hello dear Khait."

Hebony and Iboni exchanged a look and then suddenly were all smiles. "We want a hug too dear Dorothy," Hebony sang out and Iboni nodded agreement and they enveloped her in a tight clasp before she could dodge it.

Nanu and Rashida stood aside watching the whole affair. "And what might be the reason for your sudden visit?" Rashida asked immediately.

"Oh let her have time to put up her things," Fatima interrupted, taking Dorothy's pack from her and handing it to Layla, another servant who had walked in with them.

She skillfully led Dorothy by the hand away from her sister's to take her into the adjoining sitting room for tea.

The five interrogates immediately followed, seating themselves in an opposite semi-circle from Dorothy and Fatima.

Khait, whose name meant "crowned," acted just as stuck-up as her name implied. She had felt the most threatened by Dorothy's union with Quatre and saw Dorothy as a competitor in receiving the Raberba fortune. She was 26, with dyed light brown-hair, bone-straight unlike Quatre's, but with blue-green eyes like his own, with the exception of being more almond-shaped.

Hebony and Iboni, who had followed her like two puppies, were the closest to her in age, both being 25. Their names meant "ebony" and alluded to their gold-brown skin. They had black hair that matched Quatre's father's, just like their skin tone did, but they had blue-green eyes like all 30 siblings' mother.

They had adopted the suspicious view of Dorothy like their elder sister Khait and their minds could not be easily swayed without Khait's approval. They were essentially twin marionettes at Khait's disposal in her war against Dorothy.

Nanu was as beautiful as her name meant, but as beautiful as she was on the outside, her inside was almost in complete contrast. She was 24 and the second youngest in front of Quatre. She had thick, lush white-blond hair that fell to the middle of her back. She had a creamy skin tone with naturally pink cheeks. She had dark blue eyes that occasionally looked slightly green when she was pleased about something.

She was vainer than Khait, but lazier in her war on Dorothy. She was satisfied in simply being condescending to Dorothy at every chance she could get and almost completely ignored her existence unless she was forced not to. She blew the most money and had the most suitors at any given time.

Rashida was 28, and one of the most openly hostile sister's towards Dorothy. Her name meant "righteous" and she felt Dorothy's existence was in every opposition to everything judicious and good. She was rosy and curvaceous, with dark blond hair cut into a modern bob and almost opaque green eyes that often darkened in annoyance. She felt Dorothy only married her brother as a power move and took every family gathering as an opportunity to let this be known to every family member in earshot. She had almost refused to attend Quatre's wedding except for the fact she felt someone had to be there to guarantee Dorothy didn't try to kill her brother on the spot.

And so there they were, all impatiently eyeing Dorothy and Fatima for answers with all the silent antagonism they could muster.

"I'll only be here for the remainder of this day and night and I'll be out of everyone's hair by tomorrow morning," Dorothy loudly proclaimed, taking note of each of the five sisters' eyes lighting up happily.

"Oh that really is unfortunate," murmured Nanu.

"Positively so," Khait added. The twins simply nodded and exchanged a look of mock sadness.

"Why stop in at all?" Rashida asked dryly, crossing her arms.

"Why to see the children of course," Dorothy smiled sweetly and stood up, looking all around her as if she would find them there.

"And where is your youngest Fatima? And your two sweet little boys Rashida?"

Fatima stood up quickly, stepping into action quickly. A beaming smile lit up her features. She left the room and called for Layla once more to escort the little ones from their music and play room.

Dorothy unconsciously slid her fingertips to her temples. She hadn't seen the children since the wedding two years ago. Fatima's youngest had been only a year old, and Rashida's boys only 4 and 6. She had managed to only be obliged to politely kiss each of their cheeks during the wedding before escaping to Quatre's side. She scarcely remembered their faces.

'Oh boy, this should be fun,' she thought sarcastically. Khait interrupted her thoughts.

"The tea is here Cat, that should help your nerves," Khait smugly said.

"Thank…you," Dorothy murmured and seated herself once more. Just as she delicately lifted the tea cup to her lips, the two boys and young girl were led in hiding behind a beaming Fatima.

"Dorothy, this is my daughter Nafre," Fatima smiled, gently bringing her daughter forward. She lifted the small girl into her arms who peered at Dorothy shyly. The moment Dorothy's eyes set on her, she snuggled her face into the crook of her mother's neck.

"Now, now Nafre, say hello," Fatima lightly scolded.

Rashida had now risen to her feet and placed a hand on each of her boys' shoulders. "And these are my sons: Bakari, the youngest, and Khenti, the elder."

Dorothy at first looked at each child blankly and then quickly rose to her feet, putting down her tea cup. "Uh…and how do you…do?" Dorothy said with uncertainty, coming forward with a hand presented to first the elder son.

"Come now boys, give your aunt-in-law a big hug," Rashida chided. As soon as she said that, each boy ran forward and tackled her around the legs.

"Hello auntie Dorothy!" Bakari exclaimed.

"Pleased to meet you!" Khenti shouted as his small body clung to her.

Dorothy stiffened slightly and then leaned a hand down to each of their heads and patted it. "Lovely children—truly," Dorothy complimented.

Each of the boys had dark blond hair like their mother and hazel eyes that Dorothy recalled matched their father's.

Fatima came forward and held Nafre out to Dorothy. "Hold her. Don't be anxious," Fatima smiled.

Dorothy held her breath and quickly tried to come up with an excuse. Suddenly the staring Nafre gave her an excuse and after a few blinks, her eyes welled up and she burst into loud tears.

"Oh…see now, she wants her mother," Dorothy said weakly.

"Nonsense! She's just shy at first," and Fatima practically shoved the child into her arms.

Dorothy had to admit she was pretty adorable. She stuck her whole left fist into her mouth and her cries had quickly subsided once she was in Dorothy's arms. She only looked up at her with huge aquamarine eyes underneath a shock of white-blond fringe and mussed hair.

Dorothy awkwardly had been holding her in a loose cradle, when noticing all eyes upon her, she slowly took a seat with the boys scurrying up to sit beside her and Nafre now in her lap.

"They're all very lovely children," Dorothy repeated awkwardly.

Fatima beamed at the compliment and Rashida only watched her like a hawk.

"I think I must see to my things now," Dorothy added quickly, moving to her feet and without waiting for an answer she handed Nafre off to Fatima and quickly left the room to mount the staircase.

Rashida had her hands on her hips and shook her head, eyeing Dorothy suspiciously. Fatima stood there in bewilderment for a moment and then recovered.

"Well, let's not let this tea go to waste."

* * *

"Good heavens, I'm glad I left before the girl threw up on me and the boys asked me a million questions," Dorothy sighed in relief, speaking to herself aloud. She was laying on her stomach with her feet up on her several guest room pillows and her chin resting in her palm at the foot of the bed.

"What are you going to do Dorothy?" she whispered to herself.

"Fuck!" she suddenly exclaimed, realizing something significant.

'I can't go just yet…the circus is in three weeks,' Dorothy groaned, rolling over with her hands over her face.

"Shit on a stick…I promised. It would look so bad if I copped out last minute—especially in front of L5. Damn it!" Dorothy cursed, violently leaping to her feet. At the quick moment she momentarily felt herself sway.

"Ugh, I'm still not eating," she sighed.

Her head picked up as there was a soft knock at the door.

"Miss Dorothy. Lunch is served."

* * *

Dorothy had let the sisters talk around her during lunch, Khait and the twins gossiping about the latest fashion with Nanu asking the occasional question. Fatima and Rashida had busied themselves with the children and tried to somehow nourish their own bodies as well.

Dorothy had been happy to have the focus off of her for at least a little while. She needed to collect her thoughts.

She'd excused herself early from lunch and had been in her room ever since. She took her dinner in her quarters and was now on her laptop purchasing a new ticket for Spain before bed.

She smiled to herself. 'Three weeks…three weeks to decide.'

She shut down her computer and readied herself for bed.

* * *

Quatre, Relena, and Heero came the following day…10 hours after Dorothy had left.

"What do you mean she's gone?" Quatre asked his sister Fatima in disbelief.

"She must have left this morning," Rashida replied matter-of-factly.

"Damn it," Heero cursed under his breath and Relena just shook her head sadly.

"Do you have any idea where she went?" she asked dismally.

"No idea at all," Nanu replied lamely, examining her fingernails.

"We're very sorry," Fatima added quickly, looking at the three pensive faces before her. Heero was frowning, quickly gaining knowledge of which sisters didn't give a rat's ass about where Dorothy had gone.

"We're wasting time, let's go home," Heero said calmly, and was already going towards the stairs to retrieve his luggage.

"Heero! Don't be so rude. We'll be staying for dinner of course. This was a visit as well," Relena smiled warmly, turning to address all the sisters.

Khait slipped her arm through Relena's, eager to make a connection with the former Queen of the World.

"Let me show you our lovely grounds," Khait purred as the twins followed her eagerly.

"That really wouldn't be necess—" Relena began but Khait was already dragging her outside to the gardens.

"Quatre, I'm so very sorry," Fatima whispered to her younger brother, placing a comforting hand upon his shoulder.

Quatre looked and felt so tired. He shook his head and managed to smile at Fatima.

"I should have expected this. I'm sure you know now she's been trying to get away from me."

"Your baby Quatre…are you really going to let her do it?" Fatima whispered, coming close to his ear.

Rashida eyed them for a moment but soon left to answer the call of one of the nannies.

"What are you talking about?" Quatre asked, his voice filled with worry. Heero stood off to the side with arms crossed, taking out his Blackberry and pretending not to listen.

Fatima eyed Heero anxiously, but satisfied that he was preoccupied, she leaned up close to his ear, almost grazing his lobe with her lips.

"The…abortion," she whispered slowly, and soon dropped down off her tiptoes, her eyes locked with his anxiously.

Quatre stared at her and then felt himself reeling backwards as his vision faded to black.

"Quatre!" Fatima screamed as Relena ran back from Khait, much to her confusion. The twins and her simply decided to sit in the hall and wait until Relena was done with whatever she'd run off to. They'd been talking too much and much too loudly to have heard the scream Relena easily had heard while she'd been half-blocking out Quatre's sisters.

Heero instinctively moved to catch Quatre before he knocked himself out even further on the floor. Fatima waved away the few servants that had come to help as Heero laid him down onto the velvety chaise lounge chair within the expansive library; he, Relena, and Fatima swiftly huddled around him, patiently waiting until he slowly opened his eyes from his prone position five minutes later.

"Quatre! Are you alright?" Relena asked fretfully as she quickly came to his side and pressed her palm to his forehead.

"I think I'm going to be sick," he whispered and quickly got up and kneeled before the nearby trash can by his writing desk. As he puked, Relena went to kneel beside him, rubbing his back soothingly as Fatima quickly left to fetch a servant to clean up the mess and bring Quatre a glass of water.

"Relena, Dorothy wants to perform an abortion," Quatre whispered hoarsely.

"What?!" Relena screamed, reddening with embarrassment before she quieted herself to a furtive whisper.

"She can't do that!"

"I know she can't," Heero interrupted. "That's why I've already begun my internet search on my Blackberry, so by the time we leave after dinner, we might have most of our bases covered," he added, returning his eyes and fingers to his electronic sidekick.

"I'm calling the pilots. We have to find her before it's too late," Relena said with determination, already walking to the nearby vid-phone on the desk.

"No, don't do that Relena," Quatre interrupted.

"And why not Quatre? We don't have to let them in on the details—" she began logically.

"We can simply go to the airport and find out the latest ticket purchases and I'm sure they'll let me know about my wife's. I'd rather try to take care of this myself as quietly as possible for now," Quatre said firmly, rising to his feet once again.

"And if that doesn't work?" Heero interjected.

"Then you can inform the boys that we've got a mission to complete."

* * *

It had taken less than two hours to locate Dorothy. Quatre had opted to meet Dorothy alone. Unbeknownst to him, Dorothy knew this would happen. She, however, did not know that Quatre now knew of her wanting an abortion and was arriving drunk out of his mind.

He waved off the escort that had carried his single pack for him. A stumbling Quatre drug his way up to the door of Dorothy's small rented villa in Spain. He barely drank for religious reasons, but the mounting stress had finally caused him to partially break. He needed something to smother his shot nerves as he went to face Dorothy.

When he was sure the escort had driven off, he heavily knocked on the door.

"Dorothy! Open up! I know you're in there!"

Dorothy blew out the scented candle in front of her and calmly stood up. She looked out the window and saw it was almost dusk, realizing he'd located her a couple hours earlier than she'd anticipated. The fading sunlight was the only illumination in the room; Dorothy had sat alone in the shadowed space for two hours, thinking quietly back on how she had first met Quatre and the many bright spots of their marriage.

"Whatever…it's now or never," she muttered, digging into her pocket for a cigarette. She knew she wouldn't find one, as she hadn't smoked since their marriage, but it was a nervous reflex and showed just how unsettled she really was.

"Dorothy! Open the stu—"

Dorothy was at the door within a few strides and tore it open.

"You're drunk," Dorothy stated in a matter of a fact voice, not directly accusing him, but at the same time stating it with the intention of bringing him some type of guilt.

"What man wouldn't be when his wife's about to get an abortion," Quatre said lifelessly, and without waiting for an invitation, walked in passed her and threw himself down on a second nearby chaise lounge chair.

"I won't do it till after the circus charity event," Dorothy replied evenly, softly closing the door behind her and walking to stand in front of Quatre with her arms crossed.

"You'll do no such thing," Quatre spat, looking up at her with slightly reddened eyes, already moving to his feet.

"You don't really have a say in the matter. You forced this baby on me and now I'm going to force it out!" Dorothy yelled, quickly losing her cool as she stabbed one manicured finger into Quatre's chest accusingly.

Quatre grabbed her fragile wrist, the other grabbing her shoulder, as he leaped to his feet.

"Get your hands off of me!" Dorothy screamed, struggling back against his grasp. Dorothy quickly fell silent as she looked up into Quatre's very solemn face. Despite his inebriated state, his grip was firm and his stance was steady. He said nothing and didn't budge as he looked down on her.

'Am I…am I afraid of Quatre?' Dorothy inwardly gasped and realized that indeed, she was.

His eyes were cold as a lake frozen over. He was looking down on her without any emotion besides a single look of stony determination.

"I'll give **you **three weeks to come to your senses. I'll leave now, but on the day of the circus charity event, I expect you to meet me in my office early beforehand or one hour after. My doctor will have everything ready for a check-up on your pregnancy and make sure you haven't forsaken this marriage. If you've aborted this baby Dorothy, _so help me God you'll regret it_."

He shoved her away from him, and she stumbled backwards before catching herself against the arm of the couch behind her.

"You'll lower yourself to threatening a pregnant woman?! Huh?! You snake!" she screamed after his calmly retreating figure.

Dorothy stared after him fearfully and only after the door slammed behind him did she fall to her knees and tear at the carpeted floor.

"I hate you Quatre Raberba Winner! **I fucking hate you**!"

And with that she crumbled to the floor and wept.

* * *

What seemed like an indeterminate time later in her mind, Dorothy rose onto shaky legs. It was actually only about a half hour after Quatre had finally gone—9:30 PM.

'Who does he think he is trying to order me around?'

Dorothy already had come to_ that_ decision all by herself; the decision that she would deliberate for three weeks over her pregnancy. She didn't need her quote, "asshole of a husband," to tell her what she already knew.

She felt tired, frustrated, annoyed, but that ball of tension that had been lodged in her chest over the anticipation of Quatre's arrival and what might happen had dissipated at last.

'At least he didn't force me to go back with him. Oh, if he had…' Dorothy smirked, just wanting an excuse to punch Quatre right across the jaw in all her anger.

"Well I can't stand here absorbed in hate and self-pity," Dorothy sighed aloud, and looked around her with new eyes.

"I should go out," she spoke aloud to herself, smiling a bit.

It had been quite some time since she'd just been out, having fun, being young and carefree. She wouldn't drink (of course) _or_ smoke, but maybe she would just listen to some music somewhere, and just maybe watch other happy couples and hope their joy rubbed off on her.

"What a sad semblance of a woman I've become. Come on Dorothy Catalonia—you are tougher than this!" she shouted, clenching her hands into fists, her face setting into more determined lines.

"You don't need a man to revive you to all of life's glory. Tonight, you're going to _kill _it!" And she laughed, marching off into her bedroom with renewed energy and giggling at the use of slang that was beyond her.

She tore open her closet, her eyes blazing and a manic smiled on her face, but soon she was crest-fallen, realizing she didn't have a thing to wear—especially not any clothes for a night out on the town.

She decided she would just throw on jeans and a t-shirt, buy a dress on the way to one of her favorite lounges or dance clubs, stuff it in her purse and toss it on in the bathroom before she went in. She decided to leave in the next five minutes before she lost more time or her nerve. She guessed she would have to carry her pair of Manolo, sling-back kitten heels by her thumbs.

* * *

Dorothy wasn't totally sure about the dress she bought.

'Oh God, will people be able to tell I'm an expectant mother? How obnoxious would that be? They will probably assume I have two at home being babysat by the television as well.'

Dorothy shuddered. She believed one always had to second-guess themselves once they had children. She did _not_ want that.

Dorothy wasn't totally positive on where she was going exactly. She stopped when she saw it: just sketchy enough to be fun, obscure enough so that her identity would not be of interest or even result in anyone's quiet realization, and inevitably somewhere where she could probably really cut loose without worry.

Its neon sign pulsed the outline of a fluorescent pink flamingo, though the name of the club was _Paraíso de la Pasión_.

Dorothy quickly paid the $15 cover and simultaneously flashed her ID, not wanting to give any of the door people too much time to dwell on her photo or name. She made a beeline for the bathroom, receiving a few raised eyebrows as she bumped her way through in her t-shirt and jeans. Dorothy was sure they would be raising their eyes for a totally different reason when she emerged from the bathroom again.

Dorothy let out a loud, lengthy sigh under the dim light of the bathroom. She was alone and was thankful for it. Dorothy stood in front of the slightly rusting mirror and opened the clutch that she'd managed to fit her dress inside. She wasn't sure how it would be able to accommodate her jeans and t-shirt though.

'I'll donate my clothes to whoever is hanging out in the back,' Dorothy thought with a slight grin.

Without fanfare Dorothy quickly tore off her t-shirt and shimmied out of her jeans. She stepped out of her sneakers and stood on them as she slipped the silken dress over her head.

It clung to her like beads of water; the dress was a faint, silvery gray and under flashes of light the pink undertones glowed through. The colors vacillated like a pearl and the back dipped low, ending just above her rear-end in a loose scoop, the dress stopping just above her knees. The neck of the dress was a high square cut, attached to two short spaghetti straps that clasp around her throat.

"Modest in the front, ready to party in the back," Dorothy murmured, admiring how the sleek fabric clung to all the right curves of her lower body in the mirror. She looked down at her watch: 10:30. She would try to be home by 12. It wouldn't due to be out so late in a city she hadn't partied in since her teens.

Dorothy pulled out the light pastel pink shawl in her clutch and draped it around her shoulders. She would take it off when she got into the music. Dorothy glanced around and upon seeing the dirty square window up in the corner, slightly opened for air, she went into one of the stalls with her recently discarded clothes and climbed up onto the toilet seat in her socks. She pushed open the window just enough to stuff her clothes through to fall out somewhere in the alley below.

She stepped down off the toilet and smoothed off her dress, opening the stall and padding back over to her Manolos. She would just leave her sneakers and socks in the bathroom.

After putting together her hair and makeup in the mirror, Dorothy felt she was finally ready to step out. She took another deep breath and paused in front of the swing door.

'When's the last time you felt this nervous?' Dorothy thought pensively, pushing the door open with one hand and smoothing her hair over one last time.

Dorothy made a beeline straight for the bar, her shawl still wrapped tightly around her shoulders. She knew she couldn't drink (didn't care to really), but she could have some carbonated water. Dorothy motioned the bartender for her order. Who cared if a bunch of strangers in a bar thought she was an alcoholic? That would be the least of her worries.

Dorothy perched her clutch upon the stool in front of her, leaning back against the bar and resting her elbows on the counter. She sipped her drink delicately from her left hand, suddenly craving to have a cigarette in her right.

Dorothy turned back to the bar, raising one finger to ask for her tab. She had already decided it was time to go.

"Perdone, caballero, mi factura por favor—"

"Ready to go so soon?"

Dorothy almost half-screamed as she jumped and spun around, angry and unnerved all at the same time. Who she saw in front of her caused her angry words to remain choked up in her throat, her mouth slightly agape.

"Mr. Barton."

"Hello. You should be more careful," Trowa said with one of his rare, but small half smiles. Most of his amusement could be found in his eyes. He held her clutch in one of his hands.

'God damn it, what is he doing here?!' Dorothy thought angrily. The sight of another Gundam pilot was the last thing she needed. Dorothy collected herself, wiping imaginary dust off her dress and composing her face into a blank expression.

"You look well. What are you doing here? In Spain?" Dorothy managed calmly. She inwardly cringed knowing what his response would be.

'One would think I'd learned something all those years fencing; ugh, such an easy opening.'

"I could ask you the same thing," he replied in his typical monotone fashion, comfortably folding his arms as he sat down in the stool facing Dorothy. He handed her back the small bag, which she took without a thank you.

'He looks good,' she thought absentmindedly. Trowa certainly did. He was wearing all black, his slim long legs encased in black slacks, a slim leather belt encircling his waist. He wore a black button-down shirt, the first two buttons left open to expose a bit of his tanned chest.

Dorothy raised one eyebrow as she observed he even had on a bit of jewelry: one silver chain encircling his throat and another silver chain around his wrist. His hair was left in its characteristically wild fashion, covering one deep green eye. Dorothy observed he was wearing one leather glove on his right hand.

"What's the silly glove for?" Dorothy asked with a slightly mocking tone, once again taking control of the conversation.

Trowa glanced down at his own hand, lifting it up and spreading the fingers. "Oh this? For my motorcycle out back. I thought I saw some blond woman that looked like you dumping some clothes out the window," he mused aloud.

Dorothy cringed. "Touché. Are you on your way out?"

"I was."

"You were?" Dorothy asked quizzically with a frown.

"Yes, until I saw you here. Why are you here? Is Quatre?" he asked, shifting to a more comfortable position on his seat. Unbeknownst to him, a few of the women at a nearby table were watching him with interest, whispering excitedly to one another.

Dorothy swore to God this was the most words she'd exchanged with the meddlesome Spaniard since Libra.

"No he's not. I'm going home. Would you take me? I'm not in the mood to catch a cab."

"No."

"_No_?" Dorothy demanded with growing annoyance.

"I saw you when you came in. You haven't even danced once. You know this? The bolero?"

"What do you mean do I _know_ this, the bolero? Why does that matter? Why can't you just—" But before she could finish, Trowa had already stood up and taken her hand, taking the clutch out of her hand and relaying it on the stool. He pulled her with him onto the dance floor as a slow, earthy Latin song hit the speakers, her shawl slipping from her shoulders and onto the floor underneath the stool.

One of the women at the nearby table whispered "puta" underneath her breath, her friend nodding in agreement.

"Mr. Barton, you're a fool. Why are you here?" Dorothy frowned, though she allowed herself to move into the quick steps and sudden pauses of the dance with Trowa leading the way.

"Don't worry, I've got my eye on your bag. You move well. I'm here to see a friend. You?" Trowa answered easily, raising one eyebrow as if to say, 'I answered, now your turn."

'Fair enough.'

"Vacation."

"Without Quatre?" Trowa asked expectantly, his one eyebrow going higher. She could tell he didn't believe her and would dig until she flatly refused.

"Yes, without Quatre. I know you only use one eye but you're not blind," Dorothy answered with her voice on edge, not caring if she had just been rude.

He simply raised his one eyebrow even higher, and then let his face move back into a placid, expressionless look. He never uttered even a grunt.

"The circus is in three weeks. Are you ready?" he asked casually, as if this had been an expected meeting all along.

"Yes, I'm ready—are you?" Dorothy continued on in an exasperated tone as he moved her back and forth.

Trowa clucked his tongue once, causing Dorothy to scowl further. He dipped her and spun, and Dorothy felt her stomach lurch.

'Oh gosh, in the evening too?'

"Always," he replied, the song ending. He abruptly let her go, bowing once in one fluid motion.

"You look lovely Dorothy. I'm sure Quatre would have enjoyed it. See ya," he said tranquilly, turning to head out the door.

"Aren't you going to take me home?!" Dorothy called out after him.

Several women watched him with longing as his narrow hips moved passed.

"No."

Dorothy stamped her foot, never seeing his second half smirk as his sauntered out into the night.

"Oi, Dios mío, él ésta tan caliente!"

* * *

Dorothy ended up taking a cab home, beating back the flirtatious words from the cab driver who thought she did not understand him. Dorothy finally found herself standing underneath her shower head by midnight.

'No way was he here just to see "a friend". Whatever,' Dorothy thought, rubbing the shampoo into her scalp more vigorously.

It was 2 AM by the time Dorothy finished washing her hair, showering, then drying and braiding her hair. The length of time was partly due to her reviewing her day over and over again in her mind.

"That wasn't fun, it was stressful," Dorothy sighed as she climbed into the king sized bed of her suite.

As Dorothy curled up and burrowed herself down into the sheets, she felt exhausted but realized she wouldn't be falling asleep any time soon.

'Why was Barton in town? Why here, why now?'

Dorothy received no answer. She only knew she was tired of being sick and sick of being tired.

* * *

Trowa gazed into the blackish-gray eyes of his date across the dining room table.

"I can't believe I'd never run into you before with Mr. Winner," An Liu said with an astonished smile and a shake of her glossy head.

"I'm just a friend. I'm sure you don't often meet with him for anything besides business," he said lightly, cutting a piece of his steak.

"Oh we talk sometimes, here and there," she said with a laugh, slipping a bit of fish into her own mouth. An Liu was wearing a strapless, royal purple cocktail dress—something to show off her long legs. She wore a pair of pale silver flats, the entire outfit accentuating her moon-like eyes.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, we go way back. Well, I wouldn't say _way_ back, but L5 has worked with the Winner Corporation on mining projects. The new L5 is much more viable as a mining option than the old colony. There is so much still to discover. We are so lucky we could obtain X-18722 and people who escaped to Earth from our colony would be so willing to come forward and try to make a life for their people once again."

"Anyway, enough about business, Trowa! Tell me about the place we're going for a bit of dancing. What will you be teaching me tonight?"

* * *

**_Paraíso de la Pasión: _**_Passion Paradise  
_

**"Perdone, caballero, mi factura por favor—": **Excuse me, sir, please, my bill

**"Puta": **Bitch, whore**  
**

**"Oi, Dios mío, él ésta tan caliente!": **Oi, my God, he is so hot!**  
**

**

* * *

**Review

_Angel of Mirth_


	17. Consider This

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Gundam Wing, I wouldn't be writing this fanfic *smile*. I also can not take credit for any original dialogue of the anime, but some is my creative license of course. Please don't sue, I own nothing, but the plot.

**A/N: **So thanks to everyone who reviewed or read the last chapter. I like the feedback, and although I've tried to adjust to the change of PMing readers, I like the old way a bit of giving a "shout out" to reviewers. Initially, I was going to give a little spiel about my observations about the Gundam characters, but I realized that was totally irrelevant and this story is so not about me. So!

Thanks so much for your review Crimson-lips46! I loved your passion and it really spurred me on with this newest chapter. And I like the feedback you gave. It has definitely factored into my thoughts about where this is all going.

Thanks for your review Kanela! You make me feel a little more confident with that lemony goodness.

Hey The Orange Girl! I just need to reread my chapters much more thoroughly before publishing them! I just get so excited and want to throw them out there quickly once I've finally gotten them written, but apologies, those aren't excuses. I know grammar etc. can pull a reader emotionally out of a story just because of the difficulty in understanding what the heck was the author trying to get across anyway.

Also, though I thoroughly enjoyed the American voices for Gundam Wing, and watched the full series in that version, when I go back and watch the series now in the Japanese version, I noticed there was quite a bit of emotion lost by the seemingly always calm, cool, and collected characters like our Dorothy in the American version (episodes 44 & 45 Japanese version (cause she gets pissed), and obviously 48 (which is great in either version)). She's also a hormone, basket-case, preggy lady, so expect erratic behavior! But thanks so much for your thorough review!

* * *

' ' are Thoughts

Italics are Past events

* * *

**_"If It Makes You Happy"_**

_"Wisdom is nothing more than healed pain." _

**

* * *

**'I don't know why I had not come up with this before,' Dorothy thought, as she ran one manicured hand languorously over the smooth, cherry wood paneling of her private jet.

'This way, he won't find me.' Although, she had a feeling, he was not going to come again.

Dorothy had summoned her plane in the middle of the night—2 AM to be precise—and was scheduled to arrive at her new destination at 3:45 AM. She felt like a runaway fugitive, but she rationalized her actions as being the only possible option right now.

* * *

Despite everything—the overwhelming fears, the anger, the frustration, and the less immediate pressure of being mentally and physically ready to go back to work—one thing had yet to seriously cross my mind: the thought of divorcing Quatre.

With typical human optimism, I perhaps hold the secret conviction that things can always be worked out, that there is always the chance of reconciliation—a mutual understanding—and everything can always return to how it used to be.

I am not immune to such simple, naïve feelings; deep down inside, I really **want** Quatre and me to settle back into our storybook marriage of yesteryear. I truly want us to gaze back upon a marriage of 50, 60, or 100 years some day (and every day after that) with a subtle and sweet affection, with the kindest of remembrances one holds for a dear memory or dream.

Right?

Right?

Sometimes, I wish someone could supply all the answers…

Ah, and there it is again; I can feel my mouth twisting into that old, bitter smile.

I don't know how imperfectly my emotions are aligned with my logic. Sometimes, I wish that I had the unshakable conviction of Relena, or the surety in my emotions like Heero.

Or the occasional wise thought, like that meddling clown.

In truth, I know, this is perhaps only the beginnings of the breakdown of my marriage.

And I know that that thought scares me more than having a baby ever could.

True, there is Relena and there is Heero, but in my heart of hearts, I am worried that without Quatre, I could be returning to that endless loneliness that one can only experience as a Catalonia—child of one of the most hated organizations in the galaxy, grandchild of Duke Dermail.

And to return to that silent, foreboding fortress called Dermail mansion was…

But of course, to lose my career, to lose my new passion for the people, for my happiness to only depend upon one human being, on one man out of the entire universe...is something I abhor.

If the most important person in my world was ever snatched away from me a second time…

I cannot go through that ever again.

* * *

Dorothy curled up more snugly onto her side in the plush seat of her jet. She was attempting to settle her thoughts, but her stubborn fingers still clutched her silk sheet so tightly that her knuckles were white.

'God, this baby has me so tired,' Dorothy reflected with some irritation. She closed her eyes, relinquishing her hold on the blanket and raising her index fingers up to her temples. She rubbed them gingerly, trying to massage away the tension.

'How embarrassing that other night was,' Dorothy contemplated, opening her eyes to icy blue slits. She was slightly peeved at herself for the way she had acted with Quatre—the rare loss of control, the wild anger.

'True, Quatre had been drunk, and you only feel so deeply for the ones you sincerely care about, but…'

But she had been sober and _she _was Dorothy Catalonia.

Dorothy sighed softly, turning over onto her other side. She glanced behind her to make sure her attendant was not snooping about without being summoned. Satisfied that she was basically alone, she turned and reached across her seat to her purse.

She paused, closing her eyes again, grimacing.

'Another headache…if only I could relax,' Dorothy pondered with another breathy sigh. She had tried to dress comfortably, wearing a white, gold-belted wrap dress, the material an easy jersey with a draped neckline. It was of a conservative length—down to her ankles—and she completed the look with gold gladiator sandals. She'd bought the outfit on her way out of Spain, ruminating that only the Spanish could truly know comfort and luxury—something she dearly needed.

Dorothy gave up on her purse for the time being and returned to lying on the flat of her back. She netted her fingers over her softly rounding belly and stared up at the ceiling in silence, flexing and unflexing her toes idly.

'I don't understand what's happening to me,' she admitted to herself with deep embarrassment.

'I want to talk to a doctor, but…' She closed her eyes again and raised a hand to her forehead.

'I need to admit to myself that there is…there is…I am…'

Dorothy blocked out those thoughts in a hurry. To acknowledge _that_, she felt, was almost like admitting her life was over, that Quatre had indeed betrayed her, and that the wound in her heart was real...very real.

Dorothy shook her head, refusing to vocalize what was happening to her body was due to another life being inside of it. Instead, she would only educate herself on her condition as thoroughly as necessary, like any patient would.

All until their disease was eradicated.

Dorothy poked the intercom to her right. "Sebastian…how soon are we landing?"

"In 45 minutes Ms. Dorothy."

Dorothy smiled. 'More than enough time.'

She quickly snatched her purse and tore out what was recently her most prized possession.

"_Excuse me, excuse me m'am, do you need help?"An older gentleman asked Dorothy._

"_Yes, I was wondering where was your world book section?" she asked, glancing about nervously. Dorothy had a shawl about her head and was wearing large black sunglasses inside the English-Spanish translation bookstore. She was doing her best to remain unnoticed and had bound her long blond hair back into a tight bun. She was wearing a demure, gray shift dress that came down to her ankles. She was sure she looked dowdy, but she did not care. _

_Nevertheless, she had been garnering attention as several patrons believed they had a foreign star in their midst, as who else would go to such lengths to cover up their face in this heat? And who would dare wear gray in Spain?_

_Dorothy heard the whispering behind her, but ignored it, waiting for the gentleman to answer. _

"_What are you looking for?" he asked._

"_An English translation on a popular pregnancy book."_

"_Come this way," he smiled, taking her slim arm, "and congratulations."_

_Dorothy's sunglasses and scarf hid her frown. _

* * *

Quatre leaned back in his large, leather chair with a sigh, tightly squeezing his hands together in his lap. He raised his arms and stretched. He was back on Earth and back in his office.

He had let his sisters know that he would be returning earlier than expected and the three elder siblings—Iria, Emu, and Kissa—had protested mightily, insisting that their little brother needed a break. After much arguing, Quatre was able to convince them that keeping his mind busy was what he needed most right now. They had exchanged a look before yielding; they had started to wonder what exactly was going on in Quatre's life?

"Another day, another dollar I guess," Quatre muttered.

Even though he felt accomplished, finishing at the abnormally early hour of 2 o'clock, he felt no joy or excitement.

'There was a time when I was thrilled to be returning home so early,' he inwardly sighed.

Quatre had been occupying the house all by himself for three days. He had insisted that all his servants stay away until their scheduled returns; he especially insisted upon this to Rasid and Iman. He knew his alarm system—designed by Heero Yuy—was quite enough to keep his house safe until he had flown in at the time, and currently, he just wanted to be alone in his home with his own thoughts.

He remained seated with his hands behind his head. He looked out at the beautiful city skyline from his office window. After a little while, he felt his eyes drifting closed, and he welcomed the nap. He had not slept well in weeks.

* * *

_The loud eruption of a gunshot resounded through Quatre's ears and the bullet PANGED! harmlessly beside him._

_The slim, fifteen-year-old boy's head shot up in alarm to see just who it was that tried to injure him._

"_This is no time to be fighting! It's too dangerous to stay on this battleship!" he screamed at Dorothy Catalonia, fellow student from Sanc Kingdom Academy._

"_Quatre Raberba Winner. I knew it was you," she responded, her stare never breaking from him, her arm remaining steady as she pointed her pistol at his face. _

"_You're by far the most misguided one…of all the Gundam pilots!" she said fiercely._

_Quatre said nothing and remained crouched against the far wall of the room. He merely stared back, feeling the wetness of his sweat dripping down his back._

'_She wouldn't shoot again…would she?'_

"_Don't worry; I won't end your life where you stand now," she said, walking backward to place the gun on the far side of the room. When she stood again, Quatre watched her place a helmut over her head._

_"What is this?" Quatre asked, a little bewildered as he straightened._

"_The mobile doll control room," Dorothy responded. _

_Quatre frowned. "No, I am positive this is the Zero System."_

"_You got it," she agreed with a smile. Quatre narrowed his eyes._

* * *

Quatre groaned as the intense memory flooded his senses. He found himself now clenching his fists at the sides of his chair when the more agonizing part of his reverie awakened.

* * *

_CLANG!_

_Quatre was forced to grab the foil and defend himself against Dorothy's forceful jabs. They were now locked, weapon to weapon._

"_Why are you so fond of war? Why must we do this?" Quatre demanded_.

"_You're so gentle, Quatre," Dorothy almost laughed. "What reasons do you have to fight?" she smirked._

"_I fight for my family! I have to fight to ward off my family's sorrow!" _

"_My father did that," Dorothy responded, her voice dropping low. Quatre narrowed his eyes. His nerves were tightly wound up, but he felt an overwhelming amount of interest in this uncharacteristically personal confession. He dared to think that his curiosity was trumping his anxiety right now._

"_He fought so I wouldn't feel any sorrow—and he died!" Dorothy shouted back, an almost undetectable tremor in her voice._

_Quatre felt surprise shake his senses. 'Is she…?'_

"_That's why I'm going to die fighting a beautiful battle!"She declared, pushing up and away toward the ceiling._

'_What is this?' _

"_Then you actually hate war too!" Quatre yelled frantically, still poised with his foil drawn._

_Dorothy said nothing and only dove down, attacking him with a fury._

* * *

Back in his office, Quatre gritted his teeth as his wife's name tumbled out of his mouth...

_

* * *

__Quatre didn't have time to consider Dorothy's words about the enemy being in their hearts or her arguments for war. She was relentless in her blows and he began to seriously think she meant to kill him. She was grinning almost maniacally and Quatre was not sure just __**how**__ stable the woman he was fighting was._

'_I cannot kill a woman like this.'_

"_Then I'll ask you this!" Dorothy continued, vanquishing his musings."You say that you've fought for everyone…But what has anyone done for you in return?"_

"_I'm not fighting to receive any kind of compensation," he responded gruffly. _

"_That's why you'll always be an amateur," Dorothy sang out mockingly as she pulled her arm back and drew her weapon across the front of her body, attempting to slit her adversary's throat._

_Quatre moved back skillfully and rammed her with his elbow, sending her flying back and into the wall. _

_As she cried out in pain, Quatre straightened again, his weapon now down at his side._

"_Please stop this, Dorothy."_

_

* * *

_Quatre swore under his breath, remembering how she had berated him about the colonies and the death of his father. Quatre's closed eyes quivered with the same emotion of so long ago.

* * *

"_Your sympathy towards others, too much sympathy for others…has resulted in this worse-case scenario!" she accused. _

_Quatre felt several emotions pass through his heart, but Dorothy gave him no time to recover from the emotional blow. She now stood with one hand on her hip, her foil also down by her side. _

"_Why are you holding back?" she asked seriously. "Or can't you go for it?" she said more loudly._

_Quatre said nothing, only watching her._

'_This woman, her heart is—'_

"_Well you can bet that I will!" she declared with a smile, diving forward and knocking him back with blow after blow and Quatre's thoughts were interrupted once again._

"_That purity! That weak heart! That kindness! No wonder you Gundam pilots get defeated!" Dorothy shouted proudly and knocked Quatre's weapon out of his hands._

_Quatre gasped, watching his foil fly away. He returned his eyes to Dorothy._

"_Maybe you're right." he responded seriously. "But this is the only way I know how to fight." _

"_But it's because we take on losing battles," he continued, his eyes softening, his voice fighting for Dorothy to understand him and what the pilots have been trying to do for so long, "that we've kept the colonies from the horrors of war!"_

"_You'll never change anything that way!" she said fiercely. _

"_Then what should I have done?"_

_Dorothy opened her hands wide. "You should have become the colonies' leader…and staged a magnificent war yourself!"_

"_Like Sir Milliardo!" she beamed wildly, raising her foil straight into the air._

_Quatre frowned, clenching his fists. "Dorothy, you're mistaken—!" he screamed angrily, but the violent pain of her foil piercing his abdomen ended his argument._

_Unbeknownst to the both of them, Trowa was working on forcing open the door, but he could hear the wild woman's words nevertheless._

_Dorothy spoke more softly to him once again. "And you should have staged this war before all mankind…a miserable war that they'd never want to see again!"_

_Quatre heard the loss of control in her voice as he clutched at his wound. _

"_Are you saying, that's the significance of this war..?" Quatre asked slowly and with great effort as his blood soaked his space suit and Dorothy's sword. _

"_That's right," she raged, breathing hard "you can't do away with wars simply by taking weapons away from the people!"_

"_You first have to change the hearts of mankind…If you don't do that, humanity will perish…just like my father!" she said, her voice catching with tears, and several escaping from her eyes. She bowed her head ever so slightly, holding steady the metallic weapon in Quatre's side. _

_He gazed at her wordlessly, his epiphany hitting him like a bomb. _

"_You're a very kind person…kinder than me," he choked out, feeling the first hints of a blackout pulling at his consciousness._

"_Is that supposed to make me happy?" Dorothy spat, only angered by his attempts of kindness even now, even as she only desired to slice him out of existence forever._

_Dorothy finally stood, sliding the foil out of his body. "Kindness gets in your way when you're trying to survive."_

"_It's more appropriate for man to concentrate on surviving!" she insisted._

_Quatre's knees buckled as he tried to force more air into his lungs, gathering all of his concentration to stay awake. He felt himself sweating profusely at the effort it required. "D-Dorothy…"he panted._

_She only looked at him, remaining still._

"_You're just the same way I used to be." Dorothy blinked in surprise, but Quatre could not see._

"_You despise your own kindness and your own hatred of war…But, you should never try to fight your kindness."_

"_Trowa taught me that," he finished more lowly._

_Dorothy clenched her lips together more tightly, remaining defiantly silent. Quatre felt his knees buckling again as all of his muscles quivered with fatigue._

"_You have to try and accept everything around you," Quatre choked out, stooping over as he clutched his side. _

"_Because humanity needs that kindness," he stated, his voice deceptively steady even as his body failed him._

"_Without kindness, man has no reason to exist...You agree don't you?" Quatre asked seriously, once again standing up straight. _

_Dorothy said nothing as Quatre mentally and vocally urged her to answer him._

"_Humans that only think of their survival," he pushed on, his eyes softening with sadness, "are lower life forms than animals." _

_His eyes squeezed closed._

'_Please, just let me finish,' he fiercely willed himself._

"_They can't even feel for others," he fought out at last before succumbing to his own blood loss, his body lifting up as dead weight in the zero gravity chamber. _

_Dorothy could only watch him before her head snapped up in surprise as someone finally tore open the doors. _

_

* * *

_"Dorothy," Quatre gasped, as he violently sat forward, gripping his the front of his desk tightly. The remnants of his mental sojourn into the past remained fresh, and he took several deep breaths to calm himself down. He let go of his desk and ran one hand down his face and the other through his hair. He sat back once again and glanced at his watch, wondering just how long he had been out of it.

It was now 3 o'clock.

'I always wondered about her eyes,' Quatre thought suddenly, sliding his forearm over his forehead, feeling faint perspiration as his gaze turned upward.

'Those eyes…I could not see your eyes that time; what pain could they have held Dorothy? What pain do they hold now?' he asked uselessly, knowing he could gain no answers to his questions.

'Trowa had told me you had looked so ashamed when he told you that what you had tried to do might have worked, but it never would have brought an everlasting peace.'

"My beautiful, kind wife…so ashamed of her good intentions," Quatre murmured.

* * *

I am far from giving up on Dorothy.

But I understand now, she needs her time alone, no matter how fiercely I want to be beside her, helping her through this difficult time.

But who can I blame? What had I been thinking?

All the same, I don't regret my actions in Spain. The final demands I placed on Dorothy were done more out of fear than anger, and I only hope she knows that.

We are all so emotionally damaged from this war…such emotionally damaged children.

I remember when I first started dating Dorothy, how everyone had questioned my sanity, but what is love...but insanity?

"_How can you trust someone that tried to kill you?" Trowa asked his longtime friend as they sat in his living room._

_Quatre looked away from Trowa with a laugh. "Maybe only Relena could understand."_

_Trowa humphed, closing his eyes and crossing his arms, refusing to laugh at the obvious joke. _

"_But more seriously," Quatre responded softly, "a woman as kind as Dorothy deserves to be loved." He closed his eyes, not bothering to hide the smile that came to his lips._

"_You should understand Trowa, how important it may be, to simply be loved by someone," he said while rising to his feet, his voice still a whisper. _

_He moved off to the guest bedroom to fetch his luggage for his flight back home. _

_Trowa narrowed his eyes slightly at Quatre's exiting form, mulling over his friend's words._

"Will you let me heal you again in the moonlight?" Quatre asked in a whisper to the empty space of his office.

His thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of his telephone. Quatre pressed the button accepting his secretary's call.

"Mr. Quatre, the woman on line one is An Liu from L5. Send her through?" Quatre sighed, experiencing unwanted déjà vu.

"Yes."

The smiling face of An Liu soon filled the screen of his vid-phone.

"Hello Mr. Winner! My office was informed that you were back at work earlier than expected!" she sang out happily.

Quatre gave her a small smile in response. "Indeed. Now how may I help you?"

"Do you recall my superiors' request from about two weeks prior, the one for a tentative date or two that would allow you sit in on our treaty meeting with your home colony L4? " she reminded him cheerfully.

"Well, yes," Quatre admitted.

"Yes! Well we never really decided anything, but we had suggested the first week of August, two weeks before the circus charity event. As I recall, you were supposed to be on vacay with Mrs. Winner," An Liu paused with a smile and Quatre grimaced, "but you are not, so we were now wondering if you'd be available to meet within the next three business days?"

"If that is too short of a notice, we are willing to meet later, but hopefully before the charity event," she finished breathlessly.

Quatre knew he had no excuses left and even welcomed what would most likely be a very dry meeting. "Yes, any date during this week is fine," he quickly agreed.

An Liu grinned, ecstatic. "I'll relay the happy news to my superiors. L4 has thankfully kept this week and next week open for us."

Quatre nodded, running a hand down his face again, the conversation over as far as was concerned. He thought it was probably time to call it a day.

"Mr. Winner?" she asked tentatively. "May I be a little informal?"

"Sure, why not," Quatre replied, absentmindedly rubbing his sleepy eyes.

"I met with your dear friend Trowa Barton for dinner a few days ago—"

"Oh?" Quatre asked, his eyes popping open and he suddenly looked at her again in interest.

"—yes, and he is a wonderful man. Thanks for the recommendation!"

"R-recommendation?" Quatre asked, confused.

An Liu only smiled. "Take care Mr. Winner." And suddenly her image blipped from the screen.

"What recommendation?" Quatre asked aloud to no one.

'What's she up…or is it Trowa?'

"No, he'd tell me," Quatre reassured himself, standing up to gather his things.

* * *

Quatre had for the most part told Heero what had occurred in Spain, only somewhat hinting at the fact that he'd been drunk. Heero had simply listened and decided he could keep that little detail of the story to himself when he spoke to Relena later. He was well aware of her tendency to act impulsively at times.

Before Quatre had returned home, he had assured his two friends that he would be alright, that this time he knew Dorothy would be fine—wherever she'd fly off to next—anticipating she'd flee her latest home, too. He had asked them to just go home or perhaps go back to their vacation spot.

Heero had listened, persuading Relena to return to Fiji with him. He had insisted that all they could do was worry needlessly and become a nuisance and a burden on Quatre.

"I've never seen an ocean so blue Heero," Relena murmured, glancing over her shoulder as she sat up on the beach, a little in front of him.

Heero glanced up from the book he was reading in his beach chair and nodded. He was so happy that Relena had relented and allowed him to pay for absolute seclusion on the beautiful beach.

"Did we do the right thing?" Relena asked softly, as she turned her head back around to watch the sunlight play on the waves.

"Yes," he said firmly and returned to reading his book.

'I wish I could be as sure as you Heero.'

"The circus is soon, right? Are you still looking forward to it?"

Relena looked over her shoulder again with a smile.

"Can't wait."

* * *

Dorothy awoke from her daydream to her pilot's countdown. She realized she had eventually dozed off while reading her book.

She rubbed her eyes, slowly sitting up and buckling her seat belt.

"Libra," she whispered. "Why did I dream of that place of all things?"

* * *

Trowa fluidly moved through his routine, practicing for the circus event was coming in just nine days.

Catherine waltzed into the empty tent with a smile.

"What are you up to?" she asked.

"Just practicing," he replied, flipping upright from his handstand. He returned her smile with a warm one of his own.

"Ready too?"

"Of course," she said, snorting with mock indignation. She couldn't keep up her mock seriousness and bent over in laughter.

Trowa just continued to smile at her softly.

'It'll be nice to laugh with everyone again.'

* * *

Circus...a final decision...soon. **R e v i e w**

_Angel of Mirth_


	18. The Familiar Stranger

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Gundam Wing, I wouldn't be writing this fanfic *smile*. Please don't sue, I own nothing, but the plot.

**A/N: **Sorry, sorry, sorry I've been incredibly busy. I wanted to update this earlier. I had written most of it, but I was continuously rereading and rewriting it to get rid of any stalls in the read I thought we're there, or if anything seemed to go on too long. And of course I added in more stuff. I would say this chapter is meant more for meditation? It really is the impetus for a lot of other things.

(Minor edits have been done by the way, in case you've already read it, such as the flashback being placed in real time.)

A special thanks to f U n N i E b O n E s 2K and Crimson-lips46--two of my most dedicated readers! Your reviews always help me understand a little more about this story and what I may be forgetting. Thanks again to The Orange girl for similar assistance.

Check my profile for update information! 'K, on with it!

* * *

' ' are Thoughts

Italics are Past events

* * *

**_"If It Makes You Happy"_**

"_My family pride is something inconceivable. I can't help it. I was born sneering.__"_

_

* * *

_Relena sat down at her desk and picked up the stack of papers she needed for the staff meeting. She looked up at the wall clock to see if there was enough time to do one last read through.

'8:30 AM—a half hour left, and Dorothy has yet to come see me.'

"But why would she," Relena muttered, sighing as she tapped her papers into a perfect rectangle, "she despises me now."

She missed her close friend and colleague. She knew Dorothy was only gracing them with her presence because she had to. Ever since that day in the hospital, Relena's line of communication with Dorothy had been zero.

Right now, despite it still technically being everyone's time off, the office was having an in-staff meeting. A face-to-face confirmation was needed to ensure that all the preparatory assignments for the circus had been completed, and if not, they could immediately—as a group—fix the problem. Relena also had some final responsibilities to dole out for the day of.

Relena placed the papers face down on the desk and fell back against the chair. She smoothed her hands over her hair and closed her eyes worriedly.

'Will she show?'

She imagined Dorothy coming in to her office with a big smile, a cup of tea in her right hand and a letter of resignation in her left.

'She certainly doesn't need the money she receives as head advisor.'

"No," Relena admonished, sitting up again and clearing her thoughts with a quick shake of her head, "she would never miss this chance to make total pacifism a reality."

She glanced up at the clock again and was surprised to see that it was almost 8:45 AM. She stood up and dusted off imaginary dirt from her outfit, finally resigning herself to the fact that she would not be walking arm-in-arm with Dorothy today.

'Oh what we take for granted,' Relena thought, snatching up her papers for a second time.

_Knock, knock._

Relena glanced up hopefully. "Come in," she called out, straightening up to watch the doorway.

The door promptly opened and she smiled broadly as a very different but equally welcome face entered.

"Heero!" she sang out, walking over to him as he stood by the door with one arm tucked behind him. Just as she was about to embrace him, he revealed what he'd been hiding—a bouquet of red roses.

"Oh Heero!" Relena gasped, stopping abruptly. "Where on earth did you find the time to get these?! We flew back in last night!"

"I ordered these quite some time ago. Today is special: it's the first step toward your big dream," he said softly.

Relena felt happy tears sting her eyes as she glanced at the flowers again and then at her soon-to-be husband.

"I can always count on you, can't I?" she whispered, taking the roses from him. She tilted her face up for a kiss and he happily obliged her, his arms snaking around her waist.

Relena's arms slipped around his neck as she deepened the kiss. When they finally broke apart, the two lovers remained holding one another quietly. Relena's grateful eyes took on a mischievous glint, prompting Heero to raise one eyebrow up in inquiry.

"What is it?"

"Can we be a little late?" Relena asked breathlessly.

Heero smirked, thinking she looked quite delectable whenever she let her hair down.

"Of course," he grinned, lightly gliding his hands down the curve of her hips and then snuggly behind.

Relena's fingertips eagerly slid down his back in response. Heero did not waste another second, lowering his lips to hers for a slow, tender kiss.

* * *

Dorothy glanced at her watch: 9:15 AM.

'In another five minutes, I'm leaving,' she silently grumbled.

The second Dorothy had blown into the office everyone had known she was in a bad mood. Unbeknownst to them, she was grappling with another stress headache. Currently, she was crossing her arms with her eyes closed, repelling anyone from wanting to speak to her.

She'd grabbed two aspirin that morning, but she had quickly set the two little white pills back down again, remembering she was banned from such luxuries. The baby headache had quickly gone from annoying to horrible.

'What could be keeping her?' Dorothy contemplated, nearly wincing as her coworkers innocently stirred their second cups of coffee or tea. The noise of metal against ceramic sounded like a shrill drill in her ears.

"Please stop that abominable noise and drink your beverages already. I have a skull-shattering headache this morning and can't take your incessant clattering a moment longer," she finally snapped.

"Sorry," a sheepish voice said. Dorothy opened her eyes and realized the apology had come from Sylvia Noventa.

"No, _I'm_ sorry Sylvia," she sighed. "I just can't believe that Relena is still not here."

"Oh, but speak of the devil," Sylvia said softly, looking over Dorothy's head to the door: a blushing Relena was rushing inside.

"Sorry everyone, I was just searching for one of my missing papers, and before I knew it, I was over twenty minutes late—my sincerest apologies once again."

Relena settled down into her usual chair and hurriedly handed off copies of the agenda.

"Does anyone have an announcement before the meeting officially commences?"

'Heero's fault alright,' Dorothy mentally confirmed. She felt a faint sense of déjà vu at this latest instance of office hijinks. She was a little disappointed that she would not be finding out the story behind **this **any time soon.

Relena took a deep breath, rising to her feet and looking around the room. Everyone looked back at her eagerly. When her eyes settled on Dorothy's face, the fellow blond was gazing down at the desk intently, her expression strangely wistful. When she noticed that Relena was looking at her, she quickly glanced up and scowled. Relena looked away and decided just to start her speech before Dorothy leaped over the table and throttled her.

"Good morning, everyone. I just want to emphasize again that this fundraiser is Earth's big chance to prove that their advocacy for a collaborative and fully allied space is a great idea. The boons to L3's reputation and economy could result in greater respect for both L3 and Earth, but it could also result in several nonaggression pacts between nations as we move toward a completely peaceful universe."

"All of us in this room are especially aware that the colonies fear and resent another Earth-dominated space. They are probably wondering whether or not an alliance with us would result in an effacement of their colony's cultural identity or their sovereignty."

"Alas, I want our fellow governmental states to rest assured that Earth is **not **looking to control anyone; that there will be no forced collaborations, no collective governing, nor the peering over one another's shoulders in suspicion. We will only reaffirm our stance that each colony must stand by the unsaid, human promise that no individual's rights or well-being deserves to be violated, and that violence is not the first or the final answer to a problem—it is not an answer at all."

"I want us all to convince L1 through L5 that an alliance with Earth and their fellow colonies could result in opportunities for aid—if so desired—and as an added bonus, friendly relations and mutual respect."

With a smile and another glance around the room, Relena ended her speech. She was secretly pleased when the first to rise to their feet in applause was Dorothy and the rest of the room swiftly followed her lead.

Despite all that had occurred, when Relena's eyes locked with Dorothy's, she only saw a deep respect reflected there—and she was grateful.

* * *

Dorothy plopped down into her office chair with a groan. She had exited the meeting like a bat out of hell.

'I'd rather be giving the opening speech, not the closing one. I have no idea what Relena's playing at,' she frowned.

"Why did I sign up for this?" she muttered.

Before she could complain any more, a knock came to the door.

Puzzled, Dorothy raised her eyes from her desk to the door. 'I thought I'd killed off any chances of an interruption today.'

"Yes, come in."

The door cautiously opened and Relena waltzed in. "Hello Dorothy," she said with a shy smile.

Dorothy nodded back at her and folded her arms over the Italian glass desk.

"Yes, what is it Relena?" she said coolly.

"Well, I just wanted to say that you'll be joining me for the task of greeting the L3 delegates and the circus troupe tomorrow morning. Our office is going to treat them to some sight-seeing before they are swamped with preparations. There will be an elegant "Welcome to Earth" dinner that night as well, which you can return home to change for."

Dorothy nestled her hands underneath her chin thoughtfully.

"Just the delegates will be going around with us or…?"

"Well, yes," Relena began hesitantly, "them, and Trowa and Catherine—the circus's lead performers. The rest of the party will be broken up into smaller groups to be led around by the other advisers and usual security detail."

"Alright," she replied with a flippant wave of her hand. "What time should I meet you here tomorrow?"

"You'll be meeting with me and the rest of the team to go over to the airport at 8 AM."

"Alright, see you then," Dorothy said, already moving some of her paperwork in front of her in a silent dismissal.

"Yes…see you then," Relena said softly, turning away to open the door. Dorothy's sarcastic voice unexpectedly caused her hand to freeze on the doorknob.

"Oh and Relena—_do try to be on time_."

Relena nodded, making sure not to glance back before her swift exit. She hadn't wanted Dorothy to see that she was smiling; a joke between her and Dorothy—no matter how trivial—was a great sign.

* * *

_Bring, bring!_

Quatre snapped his head up, glancing around wildly, for a moment forgetting where he was.

'Oh yeah, that meeting, and then home…'

At about the same time Relena had been having her board meeting, Quatre had met with the delegates of L5 and their ambassador to L4—Mr. Yang—a very serious, older gentleman (who was not above brown nosing the son of the late Mr. Winner)—as they met with his space colony's leaders.

Quatre had felt like he was only a hologram of his late father in all the older government workers' eyes. He had wondered why he had agreed to come after all.

'At least An Liu hadn't been there,' Quatre sighed with relief and then looked at the phone almost in disbelief as it began to ring again.

"Oh yeah, oops—Hello?" Quatre greeted, his voice low from grogginess.

"Quatre. It's Trowa."

"Trowa!" Quatre exclaimed, immediately sitting up at his desk and simultaneously running a hand through his tousled locks. He had fallen asleep after mulling over the new government contract he had received from L4; they were looking for his expertise and advice (and probably his company's future assistance) on investments into colony X-1822 (or the new L5's) resources.

"How are you? You'll be here on Friday, won't you? It's been too long, hasn't it?"

"Allah knows how glad I'll be to see you," Quatre finished sincerely. His friend honestly had no idea how desperately he needed his advice and his counsel, and quite simply, just his company right now.

"Actually, both Catherine and I will be there earlier than that. We're coming Tuesday."

"Tomorrow?!" Quatre nearly shouted.

Trowa winced while chuckling from the other side of the phone. "Yes, tomorrow."

"Oh God, you and Catherine have to come by for dinner and—" Quatre began to rattle off excitedly, but Trowa interrupted him goodnaturedly.

"I was hoping just me and you could catch up first? I wanted to come by for dinner actually and skip out on this big thing they have planned for us at Relena's office."

"What? Relena's office? What's going on? Where are you staying anyway?"

"One thing at a time," Trowa smiled from the other end of the line. "Relena and her team actually invited us into town early for some sightseeing before we begin our preparations and test runs on Wednesday. There's this big "Welcome to Earth" dinner planned at the end as well."

"I thought you would have heard about all this from Dorothy?" he added, obvious confusion in his voice.

Quatre shook off the question. "I wouldn't skip out on that dinner; Heero and Relena will be so happy to see you too. You can come over afterward or something—sleep here. You all are probably going to be in a hotel or something, right?"

"Yeah, actually. I wouldn't want to leave Catherine all by herself, so I thought she could hang out with Dorothy as I hung out with you, but we'd travel over together."

Quatre frowned, unseen by Trowa from thousands of miles away. "That could work…but they aren't particularly…well-acquainted if I remember. But," Quatre interrupted himself, changing his mind, "it would probably be fine. I would just double-check with Dorothy herself."

"I was going to have Catherine just propose the idea. She gets along with just about everyone—she'll win her over," Trowa said with confidence.

Quatre almost sighed, Trowa not realizing how much trouble he had just saved him; he wouldn't have to go into all that had happened thus far over the phone after all. He was sure Dorothy was not keen on sharing all their recent troubles either—let alone the fact that she was pregnant with their baby—to Trowa and his sister. He knew she would come up with something to feign it was just all a part of the plan to have Catherine over at her place while Trowa was over at his to catch up. Trowa's words were almost too perfect.

'Trowa always had such great inference skills, I wonder…'

"So, you'll come to the dinner?" Trowa asked again.

_

* * *

_As Relena and Dorothy shook hands with L3's Prime Minister Basilia Vargas Peña de Arroyo and the Ambassador to Earth, Aldaberto Herrera Soto, Dorothy was again reminded of just how much she admired the prime minister for first seeing to L3's complete build and then remaining with the unstable colony even when more than a few politicians had already abandoned L3 for more lucrative projects.

Everyone was dressed business casual that morning and Dorothy was no exception in her pair of tan slacks, cream flats, and white peasant top. Because she'd had more time to get dressed, she had curled her hair and piled it on top of her head in a loose bun, letting a few spiraled tendrils fall down her face. Relena had worn her usual hairstyle and was dressed in a light-blue sundress and white sandals. Heero was her only accessory in his black jeans and black, V-neck t-shirt.

The three of them quickly moved on to welcoming the circus troupe and Catherine unexpectedly ran out of the mix to envelope Dorothy in a tight hug.

"Hello Dorothy! I hope you're well," she babbled into her ear.

"Uh—," Dorothy began, stepping back slightly in surprise. Before she could protest, Catherine was already marching away to hug Relena and Heero.

"Congratulations on the engagement you two!" Catherine half-shouted in their faces as she threw an arm around each of them.

"Thank you Cathy," Relena said, hugging her back with a kiss on the cheek.

"Yes, thank you," Heero added with a smile. Soon Heero was forgotten as Catherine and his fiancée began gushing about the engagement ring and discussing the best times to get married. Dorothy watched the older Barton's seamless transition into their world with a sense of wonder.

'What a strange woman…'

"Hello Dorothy. You look lovely."

Dorothy turned to face Trowa, who was already stepping forward and offering her his hand for a shake. She wearily accepted.

"Hello Mr. Barton. I hope your flight was comfortable?" she said politely. She continued holding his hand as she gave him a quick once over back.

"And you don't look so bad yourself," she quipped. He was dressed in dark-wash jeans and a white, long-sleeved button down shirt. A few buttons were left opened (**A\N:** per usual), exposing a bit of his tanned chest.

"It couldn't have been better. I'm sorry, Catherine was just so happy to be seeing you again," Trowa added apologetically for his sister's benefit. He had noticed Dorothy's earlier discomfort when his sister had embraced her.

"Oh?" she asked, honestly puzzled at the admission. In her defense, Dorothy only vaguely remembered Cathy's presence at her wedding, so there was some basis for her attitude. The only thing she remembered about the bubbly young woman was that she seemed to hope the two of them would come to be as close as sisters, in the same way Quatre and Trowa were like brothers. She had yet to recall anything particularly moving happening between them, or anything else that would warrant her tender feelings.

"I wouldn't have…expected that," she said slowly.

"Why not?" he asked.

"I don't know—I just wouldn't," she answered with some irritation. She didn't like over-analyzing her feelings too much—especially not in front of other people. Yet, in spite of herself, she gave him another honest answer.

"I guess I feel like I've never given her any grounds to like me."

"You shouldn't be so hard on yourself," he replied easily and glanced down at their hands still enveloped together. Dorothy followed his gaze and hastily ripped hers away like she'd been burned.

Trowa looked back up at her and Dorothy could sense the amusement in his eyes. Before she could fire off a retort, he moved away to greet Relena and Heero.

Dorothy looked at her hand and then at his fleeting form with a glare. She wasn't sure why she'd answered him so candidly.

'But it wouldn't be the first time, now would it Dorothy?' a little voice inside her head reminded her.

* * *

Dorothy actually had had a pleasant time sight-seeing. By the end of the day, as she'd grown tired, she'd found herself walking with Catherine a little way's behind the rest of the group.

"Oh Dorothy! It was so funny! The little cub almost tore Trowa's pants right off!"

Against her best efforts, Dorothy found herself smiling at the mental picture. She'd found her walk with Catherine to be less taxing than expected, and she was actually _enjoying _all of her stories.

"Now you've _got_ to tell me about your funniest _date_!" Catherine smirked, slipping a congenial arm around Dorothy's shoulders.

Dorothy tossed her head with a soft snort, giving the brunette an incredulous look. Despite her mild disapproval, she didn't shrug Catherine's arm off.

"We were just talking about your work stories and here you are vying for information about my past love life. What a curious girl you are."

Catherine laughed. "Just trying to make small talk! I don't know that much about you after all," she added ruefully, already slipping her arm away from Dorothy.

"Sorry. I can be a bit too overzealous sometimes. It's something I need to work on. Trowa says he doesn't mind, but I'm sure he gets annoyed at me acting like such a pigheaded, mother hen all the time—especially when it comes to women!" she said with a wink.

Dorothy lowered her head with a small smile and briefly closed her eyes, considering her words. "I'm not sure if anything unnerves that brother of yours."

Catherine placed a finger to her chin thoughtfully. "I guess if something were to ever happen to me…But! In general, Trowa is someone who cares deeply about anyone or anything," she said with a smile. She clamped a hand on Dorothy's shoulder so they'd both stop for a moment, unmindful of herself once again.

"He can be quite overprotective when he wants to be, so I guess that's something us Bartons just have in our blood. I'll never forget how he rescued me on colony C421 toward the end of the war though," she finished with a hint of sisterly pride.

Dorothy cringed slightly at the memory, remembering her own hand in creating such a desperate and volatile situation. She wondered if Catherine would ever come to truly know her role in the war.

They began walking again and Catherine posed another question to her, allowing Dorothy to forget the uncomfortable memory for now. "Wouldn't you say so?"

For moment, Dorothy didn't know what she meant and glanced over at her face in confusion. Catherine wasn't looking at her, but gazing straight ahead, serenely walking forward.

Dorothy guessed she was simply following up on her earlier spiel and she shrugged, closing her eyes again at the idea. "Perhaps, but Quatre is the most credible source on that. I dare say I share your viewpoint on _me_, on your _brother_: I don't know much about him or you. You two are familiar to me, but on the other hand, complete strangers."

Catherine slipped her arm through Dorothy's this time and smiled sweetly at her. "Well, we'll have to change that. First off, if you want to, you can call me Cathy…"

As "Cathy" happily prattled on, for a second time, Dorothy didn't find herself wanting to shrink away from the other woman's friendly touch.

* * *

Quatre felt bad, but he'd ultimately decided not to go to the dinner. He knew neither he nor Dorothy would welcome the drama that would have been sure to ensue.

'The circus will be here soon enough, right?'

_Knock, knock. _

Quatre blinked at the unexpected noise. 'Who could that possibly…?' he trailed off, jumping up to answer the door. He'd been sitting in the living room sipping a cup of tea and flipping through an album of he and Dorothy's wedding photos. All was momentarily forgotten as he perhaps too eagerly ran to the door for a break in his self-imposed solitude.

"Rashid! Iman!" Quatre exclaimed in complete surprise and utter joy.

"Master Quatre," Rashid smiled, and clasped the younger man in a hug. "We've missed you. Sorry for coming back a few days early."

"No, it's not a problem at all," Quatre said, feeling the sting of tears in his eyes. He had missed them more than he would have liked to admit.

"Have you eaten yet?" Iman said cheerfully, pulling him away from Rashid and into the house.

"Let Iman take care of you."

* * *

"What are you thinking?"

Dorothy glanced up from leaning on the railing of the first floor balcony which was shielded in glass from the gardens and courtyard below. She was experiencing her second wave of bittersweet déjà vu in two days.

She turned to her left, in the direction of the voice. It was Cathy.

"Oh…hello Catherine. I prefer Catherine if you don't mind," Dorothy added, turning her gaze back out toward the half moon and twinkling stars. She didn't really feel like talking, but she didn't mind the company.

Cathy nodded and shrugged, sidling up beside her and imitating her stance. "Oh, I don't mind at all."

The two women stood in comfortable silence before Catherine repeated her question.

"Hm?" Dorothy said, having not heard her once again. She acknowledged Catherine with a dart of her eyes.

"What are you thinking about Dorothy…? Or…who are you thinking of?" Catherine smiled, watching her.

Dorothy gave her another sidelong glance, and smiled back with amusement. "Now why would you think that?"

Catherine shrugged, looking back out the glass doors. "I dunno. I haven't asked about Quatre or anything but…I was wondering, how is he?"

Dorothy stiffened, not completely sure of how much Catherine knew exactly. "He's fine."

"I guess he couldn't make it, huh?" Catherine sighed with a slow shake of her head. "That guy works too much," she grumbled.

Dorothy's mouth twisted into a half-amused, half-wretched smile at the irony in her statement.

"He's fine, don't worry. He'll be helping out at the circus event. You'll see him then…or I don't know if you and Trowa were going to go over tonight or something."

"Oh no," Catherine said, missing her odd choice of words in "go over" and not "come over" as she suddenly yawned and then chuckled, smiling at her. "As you can see, I'm beat and so is Trowa, I'm sure."

Dorothy nodded. "Yes, it has been a long day."

"Say, how about Trowa and I come over for coffee or something?"

Trowa was just walking over, finally coming to this side of the hall in his pursuit of his sister. Upon seeing the two of them speaking shoulder-to-shoulder on the balcony, he stopped, deciding against an interruption.

'I wish I hadn't waited to tell Catherine to ask Dorothy about staying over…' he admonished himself. His ears pricked up however when he seemed to hear them already discussing visitations after all.

'Perhaps the job is already going to be done for me,' he thought optimistically.

Dorothy didn't look at her and repeated her twisted smile. "I would have invited you all over already but…I'm not sure if Quatre and I will be able to receive any guests tomorrow."

"Oh! I'm sorry to impose! I was just-I was just thinking…maybe, you know—"

Dorothy held up a hand and turned to her, stopping her tirade. "No need to apologize," she grinned slightly, "I simply said Quatre _and _I wouldn't be up to receive guests tomorrow, but I certainly could. How about we send your brother over to bother my husband at the main house, while you come over to Dermail mansion for dinner with me? We'll give them some time to catch up and it'll be a girls' night. We can catch up—starting tonight in fact. I'm sure you two wouldn't mind a house over a hotel, right?"

"We'll have that coffee," she concluded, the faint grin still there.

Catherine clapped her hands excitedly. "Oh! That would be cute! Let's do it Dorothy. I didn't know you'd want such a busybody like me around so soon," she laughed.

Dorothy's slight grin grew wider. As Cathy tossed her head back in laughter, she didn't notice that Dorothy's expression was also tinged with sadness.

Dorothy wasn't exactly lying; she welcomed the company, though she was loath to admit it.

'At least she'll liven up the place…Dermail mansion isn't exactly somewhere you want to spend much time in alone.'

Catherine looped her arm through Dorothy's, bringing her back to the present once again. "Hey, so how about we go get us some drinks?"

"I'm fine, but sure, let's go."

Trowa hurried off before they could see him, now satisfied, and with something new to think about.

* * *

"So, Duo, we're going right? Tomorrow morning? Wednesday, remember? Do you have your stuff packed?"

"No babe, but I'll be ready!" Duo called out from the shower.

"No you're not! I know you; hurry up and get dressed and then pack your stuff before we go anywhere tonight buster," Hilde ordered from the bedroom. She was nursing a cold and didn't have the energy to go smack his naked tush with a wet towel like she usually did when he happened to be nude when he irked her.

After a moment of silence, Duo spoke again. "So, you're really not coming into the shower this time?" he whined.

"Oh my God, no! Hurry up and get out!" Hilde shouted back, her face burning. She'd forgotten what always happened _after _the towel smack.

* * *

"Wufei, you know we're staying for at least five days, right? Wednesday through Sunday the earliest," Sally said with her eyebrow raised and her hands on her hips. She had re-opened his pack just to make sure he'd actually filled it.

Sally and Wufei had become roommates after the war, and for now, besides a few awkward situations, they were nothing beyond that.

"I'm not a woman; I don't need ten thousand things for a week's vacation," he responded gruffly from the kitchen.

"Sure, but uh…one changshan*, one tangzhuang*, one pair of pants, and only _one_ shirt?"

"They won't know the difference. Who knows how long I'll actually stay any—"

"Ok, I'm packing your bag right now!" Sally announced, cutting him off and waltzing over to his closet.

"Woman, why are you in my room again?!"

* * *

**Changshan: **Mandarin, written here in simplified Chinese, of the male equivalent of the woman's _cheongsam _or _qipao_, or basically the Mandarin gown, which is a one-piece, Chinese dress. This male version literally means "long shirt."

**Tangzhuang: **Chinese jacket that originated at the end of the Qing Dynasty. In modern times, instead of only being worn by noblemen, aristocracy and government officials, common people wear it now, too, and it is often seen as the national costume for men, although women wear it as well.

Okay finally, really, truly, the circus circus **circus **next chapter! And everyone's going to be there! Woo~**R E V I E W**

_Angel of Mirth_


	19. Chewing the Fat

**Disclaimer: **I'm about to do a job that I hope I have a lot of fun at and excel at, and I think I'd still do it, _even _if I did own Gundam Wing_—_which I don't. Please don't sue, I own nothing, but the plot and any original characters I happen to throw in here.

**A/N: **Okay, this chapter would have been really, really, really, really, really long if I hadn't broken it up into two chapters. Can you believe this is only like, half of it? So, sorry if you expecting more "drama drama." They'll be more than enough of that soon.

Oh and I for to add that right now there is a poll in my profile, related to this story. Please vote yes or no!

* * *

' ' are Thoughts

Italics are Past events

* * *

**_"If It Makes You Happy"_**

_"God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December.__"_

_

* * *

_

"_Did you know, Trowa was an orphan, and so was I?" _

_Catherine was watching Dorothy hustle around the kitchen as she lay half curled up on one of the living room sofas, her head snuggled into the crook of one arm. She was dressed for bed in loose, gray pajama pants and a pink, sweetheart top tank. On her feet was a pair of pink, bunny slippers, which she was currently wiggling._

_Dorothy nodded, flicking her eyes at her and then her ridiculous slippers. _

'_Ugh…so Relena-esque,' she thought with an inward roll of her eyes._

_She finished decorating the two mugs of decaffeinated hot cocoa with whipped cream and cinnamon before she answered. _

"_All of the pilots are or were, and since you two are siblings—so yeah, I guess I indirectly knew," she shrugged._

"_Where are you going with this Catherine?"_

_Her house guest quickly sat up, smacking one palm against her forehead._

_Dorothy blinked, slightly alarmed as she carried over the mugs slowly._

"_What's wrong? Did you forget something?"_

"_How tactless of me—of course—just like all the girls…Gah, I say the stupidest things sometimes!" she exclaimed, moodily bringing her knees up to her chest and propping her chin on them. _

"_Really, I can't believe I just asked that."  
_

_Dorothy didn't say anything as settled in next to her, placing each mug on a coaster._

"_You were just making conversation," she shrugged and Catherine looked at her with a smile._

"_You're too nice."_

_Dorothy rolled her eyes, picking up her mug for a sip._

"_I'm sure you have a point—ouch! Hot, hot, hot," she fussed, setting her drink back down. _

_Catherine tittered. "Want to put an ice cube in it?"_

_Dorothy flung herself back against the couch with a huff, shooting her a look of disbelief._

"_Silly girl, that will ruin it. I made these with milk."_

_The redhead giggled, lowering her legs to imitate Dorothy's flounce. _

"_I know, I was just…'making conversation,'" she grinned._

_Dorothy closed her eyes for a moment, shaking her head._

"_I don't think you know the meaning of that phrase."_

_Cathy shrugged, reaching forward for her mug of cocoa. She brought the drink to her lips for a cautious sip before speaking again. _

"_I just liked the expression." _

_She winked at her before running her tongue over the whipped cream so she could give herself a whipped-cream mustache._

_Dorothy rolled her eyes again._

"_You can be such a child," she half-halfheartedly scolded. She tucked her blue pajama pants covered legs underneath herself, folding her hands into her lap. Dorothy was dressed for sleep as well in a billowy, white silk chemise and white terrycloth slippers._

"_You know, I was going somewhere with what I said earlier," Cathy said thoughtfully, taking another sip. _

"_I hoped so."_

"_Mmm, this is really good Dorothy," she complimented, going off topic again._

_The blond smiled at the compliment, picking up her mug again for another try at an indulgent sip. _

"_I know; you'd just die over my childhood cook's Spanish hot chocolate then."_

"_Oh would I?" Catherine smiled widely, turning her head to face Dorothy. Her face was now only inches from Dorothy's, and Dorothy could see how her eyes __sparkled with interest._

"_We'll have to chat over some of **that** sometime, too."_

"_I don't know if I could make it as well as she used to…so maybe," Dorothy said hesitatingly, scooting away just a little bit. _

_She stared into her cup._ "_It's hard to recreate a good memory; don't you think so?"_

_Cathy blinked and then slowly nodded in agreement, still watching her. "Yeah, maybe not as good as the first time, but…what makes you say that?"_

"_Oh, no reason," she said quickly._

"_You were saying earlier…?"_

"_Oh! Yes, well, Trowa—or **Triton** really—he had it so much harder than I did—" Catherine began again, but this time Dorothy interrupted her._

"_What? Triton?" _

_Catherine nodded. "That's his real name: Triton Bloom."_

_Dorothy frowned at her. "I see…" _

"_He and I, we were separated during a rebellion on L3," she went on. "He was two and I was four at the time. Our parents were killed during it," she said, her voice catching slightly, but she quickly perked up again. _

"_But, I always remembered my little brother's name and what he looked like. That's why I had a feeling about Trowa almost immediately after I saw him__—__the feeling that he was Triton, my baby brother."_

"_You could remember that much that far back?" _

"_No…well sort of," Catherine said with a small smile, now training her eyes down into her mug. _

"_I mean, that sort of thing would stick out in one's memory, you know?" _

"_Of course," Dorothy said softly, finding the contents of her cup very interesting again._

"_The death of a loved one, how could one ever forget?" _

_Cathy looked at her curiously again. 'What aren't you telling me, Dorothy?'_

_She cleared her throat. "Well, where was I? Oh yes, Triton had it so much harder than I did. I got adopted into the circus and he, well **he** got drafted into the war," she frowned, becoming lost in her thoughts._

"_War…it almost took everything from me Dorothy: my childhood, my family, my life."_

"_**I hate it**, Dorothy, I just hate," she said passionately, her normally placid violet eyes steeling, her hands clutching her mug more tightly._

_Dorothy lowered her eyes. 'Hm, I guess we've not so totally different after all.' _

"_That's why I'm so happy you and Relena are doing this, that you two are so committed to peace. I'm so happy we have been invited to help you a little more in your endeavors," Catherine smiled, taking Dorothy's hand for a moment. _

_Dorothy looked at her hand, slightly overwhelmed. She wanted to tell her outright that she hadn't _a_lways been this girl, and Dorothy wondered again, if this innocent girl would still like her so much if she did know her past? _

_After a few moments she gently pulled her hand away from Catherine's and cleared her throat._

_She sat back again more comfortably. _

"_Anyway," Cathy smiled, gathering her hands into her lap and giving Dorothy some space, "he became a child soldier, a mercenary, and it really crafted how he saw things for a while."_

"_He was expendable, life was expendable," she murmured, looking up at the ceiling._

"_But, oh God Dorothy, I was so happy I found him…so happy. And in this blessed chance we've been given to be a family again, I'd like to think now, he knows, he'll always have someone there for him and his old beliefs about himself…I'd like to think I changed that—in my most conceited of moments of course," she laughed softly. She took a long drink, letting silence overtake them._

_Dorothy narrowed her eyes with a small smile, meditating on her words. _

_She **did** think it explained a few things—like how he could always sneak up on her like a shadow, she thought dryly._

"_I wish he could find a nice girl to settle down with," Cathy sighed, her expression dimming and then changing again in a split second as she looked at Dorothy, her face breaking out in grin._

"_Kind of like how Quatre found that in you. I'd like someone like you for my brother."_

_Dorothy grimaced, her cheeks coloring slightly. "Gosh, you're strange." _

"_Your brother and I, we don't get along—**at all**. I'd doubt he'd be interested in my twin."_

"_Oh? He likes you just fine Dorothy," she smiled. "You shouldn't be so hard on yourself."_

"_Ugh, you two…that's exactly what the Living Shadow said," Dorothy muttered._

"_What? Living Shadow? You mean Trowa?" she blinked, truly lost._

_Dorothy chuckled. "Yes…or **Triton **now that you tell me.'_

_Cathy rolled her eyes, grinning. "Whatever, stop trying to change the topic, you should just learn how to take a compliment."_

"_You, too; you were being too modest earlier, thinking for one moment you haven't helped him heal," Dorothy argued, giving her a serious look. _

"_So many of you girls have helped those pilots heal." _

"_Specifically, Quatre's talked to me about you, and I know all about what you've done for a few of them—even that stubborn mule Wufei," she smirked._

_Cathy blinked, at a loss for words for a moment. She looked away shyly, a blush staining her cheeks. She quickly recovered, looking up with another mischievous grin._

"_Okay, maybe I do it, too, but you do it all the time!" she accused, putting down her now empty cup._

"_Like earlier, when I said you were nice, you just brushed it off. But I meant it—you're really nice!" she insisted, popping up onto her knees to shake Dorothy's shoulders for emphasis._

"_You'll spill my hot chocolate," Dorothy grumbled, breaking away from the excited girl's hold. She quickly downed the rest of her drink and stood up to take Catherine's mug along with her own to the sink. _

'_I wonder if I accidentally gave her a bag out of my old caffeinated box…' _

"_There you go again!"_

_Dorothy froze over the sink for a second to give her an irritated look. _

"_Spare me. It's **not** 'there I go again;' I just don't know what you expect me to say," she complained, quickly washing the two cups and coming back to sit down beside her._

"_Say, thaaank you!" Catherine sang out, leaping on top of her without warning, attacking Dorothy's sides in a tickle fest._

_Dorothy yelped, squirming and trying to push her off. "Umph, Catherine! I'm **not **ticklish!"_

"_No really—I'm not!" she squeaked. Cathy noticed she wasn't giggling, just gasping for air, so she stopped._

_She sat up with a slight pout, helping Dorothy up as well. "That's too bad. I'm really sorry." _

_Dorothy shot her one last look of mock anger before her face suddenly broke out in devilish grin._

"_But are you?" _

_And without warning, she leaped onto Cathy, tickling her back without mercy._

_

* * *

_

'6 AM, urgh.'

It was two days later, Friday, and the day Dorothy had been dreading for weeks.

"Already so tired," she griped, leaning perhaps a little too heavily on her vanity for a closer look at her reflection.

Dorothy decided she would wait until later to put on her makeup; maybe until after she returned from her "meeting." At the moment, her eyes were still groggy and when she had lifted her right hand up to apply lipstick, it had begun to tremble.

'These last few nights are finally catching up with me,' she thought, settling back down onto her heels.

Dorothy had been up since 4 AM, unable to sleep for most of the night just like she'd been unable to do for the last few nights. After that late night cup of cocoa with Catherine, she'd been getting random attacks of indigestion, especially at night.

The bouts of dehydration, the nausea and vomiting, and headaches and other general aches had died down, but recently she'd been feeling a persistent burning sensation in the upper-level of her stomach and into her chest for well over an hour during each of those restless nights.

Her stomach grumbled loudly and Dorothy chuckled. "At least my appetite's come back; breakfast first," she decided, walking out of her bathroom.

She had at least two more hours to kill before it was time to head out. She was already showered and dressed, but not in her outfit for the day—she would get dressed later as well. For now, she was dressed in a pair of wide-leg, gray slacks and a fitted white tee. On her feet was a pair of black flats, her hair tumbling down her back per usual.

Dorothy hummed cheerfully as she fixed herself breakfast. She felt best when she was eating lately, though she did experience some of that indigestion, as well as a little nausea, but she was too fearful to take anything for it; after all, it was still fairly mild and she rationalized that she'd be seeing a doctor soon enough.

She was just going to revel in the fact that she was eating again.

As she waited for her waffles to toast, Dorothy frowned again, her mild contentment disappearing.

'The day is here…'

She pursed her lips, taking out a plate as she heard the gentle _pop_ of the toaster.

"And I'm definitely going to need the energy to get through it."

* * *

Trowa stood a few feet behind his sister, dressed in a black body suit and soft, black ballet-like shoes, the soles reinforced with very thin, pliable rubber. They were etched out with the minutest of grooving for added grip and were similar to the shoes he'd be wearing during the actual show.

As he went through a light warm-up before a stretch, Trowa did his best to listen to Catherine chatter on about her first overnight visit at Dermail mansion.

The siblings had been unable to sit down alone together since their arrival and apparently it had been torture for Cathy to not have the chance share her thoughts with her brother _immediately_.

Tuesday night, Catherine had crashed at Dorothy's, and then stayed all day Wednesday. That day had been filled with less talking and more of the shopping spree Dorothy had insisted on taking her on.

Trowa had had a similar schedule with Quatre (minus the shopping), and the brother-sister duo had each ended their days having dinner with their respective Winners. After a lingering goodbye from Cathy to her hostess ("You know I'll be seeing you again soon, right Catherine?" Dorothy grumbled, rolling her eyes at the girl who was almost in tears. "Just remember to throw out those dreadful slippers, alright?"), and a bittersweet one from Trowa to his host, the two had met up again at Heero and Relena's_—_compliments of Quatre and Relena's chauffeurs.

They had both immediately settled in for the night and then before they knew it, it was Thursday morning, which they spent entirely with the engaged couple. They had finally headed back to their hotel in the early evening for dinner with the circus troupe. And once again, before they could blink, the sun had come shining through their windows, and it just happened to be at 7 AM on Friday, the day of the show.

"We didn't really talk about Quatre or anything, but we did talk a bit about you," she said out-of-the-blue.

He'd been only half-listening up until that point, but he now gave her his full attention.

"Oh? And what did you girls have to say about me?"

"I told her a bit about our past...your real name," she added a little more slowly, giving him a quick look.

"You don't mind, do you?"

Trowa gave her a noncommittal shrug. "Can't do anything about it now, can I?"

And with that, he refocused his attention on slowly lifting himself into a handstand, holding it for several seconds, and then slowly stretching his legs out into a perfect "T." He tried to ignore the footsteps that were quickly approaching.

"Oh Trowa, please don't be mad!" Catherine shouted, bending upside down to get a better look at him.

"I should have asked first, I know, I just, we got to talking, and she mentioned how you and I are like 'familiar strangers' to her once, and I just wanted, I just wanted to find some common ground with her—" she babbled, leaning only inches away from him now.

Trowa slowly brought his legs back together, aligning himself perfectly before letting himself gently drop down into a backbend.

"How is my name a connecting factor?" he asked, honestly perplexed.

"Oh I just—it was a total offhand comment. I was more so talking about us—us _all _pretty much—being orphans and stuff, but I mentioned your early life, like how it had been so much harder than mine," she said softly, giving him a bashful look.

Trowa pushed himself back up again into one last handstand before finally flipping up and crossing his arms.

He turned around. "Tell me the real reason," he stated evenly.

"Well, it's just that…" she began, standing up again and looking off to the side. She clutched one arm and dug her toes into the packed dirt of the arena nervously. "You and Quatre are just so close, and I've-I've always wanted that."

"I mean, don't get me wrong, I _love _how close we are," she smiled sheepishly, looking up at him with raised hands," but it's just—"

"Not the same thing," he nodded, "as being accepted by someone who has no initial connection to you to go on, no obligation…who can unreservedly just care for you being _you_."

"_That_," she agreed softly, looking at him again, "and…I just don't have any _real _girlfriends, you know?"

"It would be nice if she and I could be good friends is all…"

"Again, I'm **sorry,**" she repeated, clutching his arm and giving him a beseeching look.

"It's alright," he shrugged again, placing his free hand over hers.

"I'm not really mad, I was just confused. Who cares, it's not a big deal."

"I guess it's just that I never think to mention it—I've just had so many of these masks on for so long…" he trailed off, shrugging again while she frowned at his flippantness.

Finally, she let out a relieved sigh, letting go of his arm.

"Good, 'cause I really thought you were _really_ mad at me there for a sec."

Trowa nodded, placing a chaste kiss on her forehead. "Never worry Cathy," he said softly before straightening again and gracing her with a light smile.

She smiled back. "Love you little brother," she laughed, mussing his hair.

"Hey," he said, giving her a mock look of annoyance, leaning away out of her reach. He caught her arms and stilled them at her sides. She stuck her tongue out at him; he just rolled his eyes.

"Anyway, don't try to force things with her, okay? Let the chips falls where they may. She doesn't let many people in, but those she does, she means it and it means a lot."

"You've gone a long way with her in short time, so don't be worried, ok?" he insisted, his eyes serious.

She nodded back solemnly. "I won't—promise." Her bro as good at reading people, after all. How could she not believe him?

He smiled warmly at her again before letting her go finally. He walked back a few paces and started to do a round of gorilla stomps.

As he entered the end part of his warm up, Cathy aimed her knives at a long, rectangular practice board, talking to him over her shoulder once more.

"Relena and Heero, though, they really do have a gorgeous home. It was lovely just being able to spend the whole day with them yesterday, too," she said, spelling out the word "Welcome" with a round of quick knife throws. She decided that this little bit of "knife wordplay" would be a fun way to introduce their group to Earth's people. Now, she just wanted to see if she could bring her time down a little more.

"I mean, I guess I liked Dermail mansion and all, but it's just kind of a little _less homey_, if you know what I mean."

"It was just nice being able to get to know Dorothy better is all."

"She doesn't spend a lot of time there, right? I'm sure she hasn't had much to do with the decor," Trowa pointed out, stretching out his back one last time, pretty much done now.

"Oh yeah, you're right," Catherine replied, nodding thoughtfully as she walked away to retrieve her knives.

She walked back over to him with her bag of knives over one shoulder.

"Besides the interesting stuff she told me about Egypt—which by the way, I'm _dying _to set up a performance date for—she shared a bit about her aristocratic training and Catalonia—and did you know she was royalty?" she interrupted herself with a grin, shaking her head in disbelief.

"I mean the things you can learn about that girl…"

"What? Does Quatre even know that?" Trowa asked, standing at rest, his warm-up complete.

'Seems like she got a lot out of her. Guess we share something else in common too,' he thought in amusement.

"Who knows," Cathy giggled, walking passed him now, "I'm going to go confirm some stuff with Manager Hawthorne. I'll be back soon for the group warm up."

"I'll have more for you later!"

"Ok."

Trowa moved off in the opposite direction for the equipment check. He was hoping for a quick group warm-up and quick dress rehearsal, but a long breakfast and a long shower.

He just needed a few minutes to himself—which was going to be hard today of all days—but he just needed that time to think before he saw Quatre again.

'I need to see Relena…'

* * *

Quatre remembered the wood, musk and floral scent of her perfume, her hair down and slightly damp, the flush of her skin in anger.

_"I won't do it till after the circus charity event," Dorothy replied evenly, softly closing the door behind her and walking to stand in front of Quatre with her arms crossed._

_"You'll do no such thing," he spat, looking up at her with slightly reddened eyes, already moving to his feet._

_"You don't really have a say in the matter. You forced this baby on me and now I'm going to force it out!" Dorothy yelled, quickly losing her cool as she stabbed one manicured finger into Quatre's chest accusingly._

Quatre shuddered, remembering what _he _had said after that. His chin was propped up in his hand as he stared out at nothing, meditating on actions he could not take back now. His oatmeal was growing cold, along with his tea, but he hadn't been very hungry in the first place.

"Master Quatre," Rashid said, walking into the kitchenette.

'I just had to be the angry husband again…angry and—'

"Master Quatre?"

"Oh! Sorry—yes Rashid?" Quatre finally acknowledged, nearly dropping his hand from his chin and into his oatmeal.

"It's going to 8 in the morning and you had mentioned something about an appointment this morning yesterday?"

"Oh, yes! Thanks Rasid. Yes, I must go, though it isn't exactly a _definite _meeting," he said distractedly, standing up with his briefcase.

"Thanks for the interruption."

'Like I could have forgotten.'

"Anytime Master Quatre."

* * *

"_So…what's new? Do you still need me to snoop around?" Trowa smiled softly._

"_Wha-what?" _

_Quatre ran a hand through his hair, the question not really registering. He was having a faint sense of déjà vu, except he was in his living room instead of Trowa's and he was the one rattled._

_His friend leaned back against the couch, shifting around until he was comfortable. He was going to let him take his time; Quatre had been pacing around, working himself up to telling him something. He knew how Quatre could make mountains out of molehills after all, blaming himself unnecessarily, so he decided, he'd let him take his time._

_The former Sandrock pilot was now awkwardly frozen, his upper body half turned to Trowa, his lower body still facing forward, feet mid-step. His face had a look of complete bewilderment and his gaping mouth only made him look all the more dazed, one hand awkwardly jabbed into his already messy hair. _

_His eyes had faint dark circles underneath them and he seemed to be a little thinner, but Trowa couldn't be sure. _

"_You and Dorothy…the baby. Remember? The reasons behind it all?"_

"_Oh, **that**," Quatre chuckled uncomfortably, turning away again to continue his paces. _

"_I'd rather hear about you and Catherine first," he smiled, glancing at him. He plopped down in the couch across from him._

_Trowa shrugged, deciding he'd play along a little longer. _

"_We're great. Catherine's excited to be on such a universal stage. She thinks it's a once in a lifetime opportunity for us and the circus. She's glad so many orphans will be there. She's been interested in working with them a lot lately and happy that many of the young acrobats she'd been training are being flown over to come see the performance, pro bono, along with a lot of other L3 orphanages."_

"_I'm more interested in rehabilitating animals…I don't think I'd be as good as her with the kids. I'm really glad for her."_

_Quatre nodded. "That's good," he said a bit distractedly, continuing to slowly nod his head, "very good."_

"_Quatre, let's get to the point. You look like hell. What's wrong?" Trowa finally demanded, crossing his arms and giving his friend a piercing look. It was time to cut the bullshit._

_He jumped, surprised at his best friend's tone. He looked at him, and then cut his eyes away, running a hand through his hair once more. He kept his eyes to the side._

"_Well, I'd start, but I'm not sure how," he said softly, and for a moment, he looked completely lost, and Trowa was reminded of the time he came to ask him for forgiveness and he had had amnesia. _

_Quatre was regretting something—big time._

"_So, what did you do?" _

_Quatre darted his eyes at him again. "She's pregnant."_

_Trowa sat forward, shock flashing through his eyes._

"_You don't look like you're expecting me to say 'congratulations,'" he said after a short pause._

"_No, I'm not," Quatre laughed harshly, slipping both of his hands behind his head and lifting his eyes to the heavens. "Not in the least."_

"_She wouldn't appreciate me telling you this," he said suddenly, a frown marring his features. He gave Trowa a serious look. _

"_You can't indicate you know about it, or let her know I told you."_

"_Of course," Trowa said immediately, waving away his fears. He crossed his legs and settled back against the couch again. "I don't even need to know **how **it happened, just that it happened."_

"_I'm just now wondering…where are you two going to go from here?"_

"_She's been at Dermail mansion, correct?"_

"_Yes," Quatre sighed, "but there was some global hopping, and so we've only been living apart, most recently, for three days—she at her grandfather's place and me, here."_

"_It was never a conscious decision, really. It just sort of was…where she returned to," he shrugged, slumping a bit._

"_You're not happy over it…so I'm assuming it isn't something she wanted or expected?" Trowa asked._

_Quatre just shook his head, knowing that he was referring to the baby now._

"_And you did it on purpose?"_

"_I don't know, maybe," Quatre mumbled, covering his face in his hands as he dropped his elbows to his thighs. "I just took off the condom one time, we never use one, but she wasn't on anything apparently, but she **had **asked me just that once, but it wasn't straightforward, and we didn't know she was pregnant until New Zealand," he said in a jumble._

_Trowa wasn't sure how he should feel: on the one hand, Quatre was his best friend, and he wasn't sure what his good friend was expecting from him during this conversation; on the other hand, he knew he also had a sister—and Quatre had **many** sisters. He didn't know what he'd do if some guy had knowingly gotten his sister pregnant, leaving her scared and angry._

_Then again, he did already know the emptiness Quatre felt without a family of his own after his own childhood, and honestly, he and Dorothy were married adults, not two naive teenagers. _

_But…_

_What in God's name had he been thinking?_

_He repeated as much to Quatre, watching him bristle defensively._

"_I don't know," he said, throwing up his hands. "I wasn't! But, now she's been talking about getting an abortion right after the charity event!"_

_Trowa was quiet again for a moment. _

"_I don't know what to say Quatre. I mean, on one hand, it's her choice and—"_

"_Wha-what?" Quatre nearly spat, sitting up abruptly. He gave Trowa a look that basically read: 'How could you say that? What about me?'_

_Trowa sighed. "I mean, what did you expect she'd do?"_

"_I don't know," he huffed, falling back against the couch looking defeated again. He looked down at his hands that were now clenched into his fists._

"_I feel like I don't know anything anymore Trowa…like I don't understand anything! Her, myself, my actions, her actions, where it all went wrong," he finished softly, unbidden tears of frustration springing to his eyes._

"_I have nightmares about her divorcing me Trowa, about her being with someone else and having their kids someday…and it **kills** me Trowa, it **kills **me," he said hoarsely, covering his face with his hands again and throwing his head back against the couch._

"_What did Heero say?" Trowa asked softly, feeling a mixture of emotions._

"_I think he said something like, the feelings I felt at the time and my actions are open to interpreting, not to be condemned or condoned, but…that was before we **knew **she was pregnant and I had just been afraid of the possibility."_

"_I mean, he's been wonderful in trying to help us talk and reconcile; Relena, too. I don't know what I could have done without them," he said with true appreciation, his voice partly muffled behind his hands. _

"_I think he really thinks or at least he **thought **we could move passed it, that she was just afraid of the unknown."_

"_But it's not like we can't provide for this baby Trowa!" Quatre exclaimed, looking at him with insistent eyes once again. _

"_And we would love it so much!—boy or girl. Dorothy would be a wonderful mother!"_

_Trowa cleared his throat, looking off to the side again. "Maybe she doesn't think so."_

"_What?" Quatre asked for the umpteenth time that day, wishing he'd elaborate._

"_Maybe that's the whole root of the problem right there…she just doesn't think so."_

"_If so," Trowa continued, not letting him interrupt as he stood up, giving the silent indication it was time for bed, "she must truly be scared indeed."_

_And with that, he moved out of the living room, leaving a slightly baffled Quatre behind._

"_And she's probably pissed as all hell," Trowa calmly threw over his shoulder, closing the door to his room._

_

* * *

_Dorothy pulled up in front of Quatre's office, but she didn't kill the engine. She just put her Jaguar into park and took out her cell phone.

* * *

Quatre looked out of his office window, spotting Dorothy pull up. She made no movement to go into the parking lot.

He glanced at his watch, wondering why she was finding time to linger: 8:30 a.m.

'Hm, I guess we've got time.'

Quatre jerked slightly as he felt his cell phone vibrate. He quickly freed it from his breast pocket and answered it, recognizing his wife's number.

"Hell—"

"Quatre. I'm outside. Come down. I'll follow you in my car," Dorothy's smooth voice calmly interrupted.

The connection cut immediately.

Quatre put his cell phone away, deciding he wouldn't dwell on it.

There would be no forced friendliness today—it was all too evident already.

'This will probably be just as tough, if not harder than a board meeting. I should have expected as much,' he sighed, grabbing his car keys and his briefcase before heading out.

* * *

Okay, it's impossible to not have the charity event next chapter. I didn't know my writing would take me this way, so I just knew this chapter was needed based on how chapter 18 ended, or there would have been some scratching of heads. Now **review~**

_Angel of Mirth_


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